A lack of bids for the refurbishment of an indoor pool at Rocanville in Saskatchewan has halted work. The Pool Refurbishment Committee has been forced to consider alternative solutions after only one bid was received for more than $4.9 Million in response the second call of tenders. This is way over budget.
A public meeting was held, according to a report from SaskToday to inform attendees of the current situation. The town was initially approved for a grant of $1,29 million under the federal and provincial Investing in Canadian Infrastructure Program (ICIP). However, the first tender call brought in $3.6 million in bids.
The project was approved by a subsequent public referendum, which asked about the project’s needs. However, higher costs prompted updated bids. A significant cost increase (630,000) halted the project. The committee was prompted to look at other options after the second tender call resulted in a bid of $4.9million.
Three options were discussed during the meeting, according to the report. The first option was to build an outdoor pool. This would mean losing the $1,29 million grant. Second, a re-use of the existing building was considered. However, there were high costs and risks associated with updating the structure based on an assessment conducted in 2018. Third option was to have the town act as general contractor. This would result in lower cost markups but increased risks and a longer timeline.
The report also states that the mayor and the committee intend to present these options for a final decision to the town council in the fall. The town is in favor of a pool, and it is willing to look at other options.
The mayor expressed his confidence that a solution will be found, perhaps with the town acting as general contractor.
The pool would probably open in April 2025. The committee and the council will be working closely together to determine what the next steps are for the project.
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