Prince George, B,.C.- The cost estimate for the new RCMP building now sits at $45.8 million dollars. That’s down $1.685 million since the last time the matter came before Prince George City Council, and the design of the project is not yet complete.

 

With the design at the 60% completion mark, that total project cost includes construction (estimated at $35,495,998) design, property purchase, construction insurance, furniture, equipment and demolition.  The totals include a $1.5 million dollar contingency for design, and a $1.6 million  contingency for  "unforseen" issues during construction.

 

Some of the elements of the design include 87 underground parking stalls, and 18 on the  ground level over top of the parkade.  The parkade is estimated to cost $5.5 million.  The design  calls for 20 cells. Councilor Dave Wilbur wanted to know the scope of the cost for the cell construction, the designers will  come back with what they call "a breakout price" for that cost of construction of cells.

 

Councillor Wilbur  also wanted to know the  cost per square foot of the 9.5 thousand square metre facility.  Designers weren't able to provide that information right away, but it comes out  to about $450 dollars per square foot.  Councilor Dave Wilbur  also  noted the inclusion of space for bylaw enforcement and  an emergeny operations centre are not key to the development of an RCMP detachment. 

 

Staff advises that the 90% completion of the drawings will be presented to Council in December, at which time there will need to be some decisions on the financial side of the project.

 

Councilor Cameron Stolz wants that 90%  completion  to  include the cost of  the building if the Emergency Operations Centre is removed from the design.  He has long since argued this is the wrong sport for an emergency operations centre as it on  a dangerous goods route,  too close to CN rail, and within the flood plain.

 

As far as financing goes, it is possible the City could get a maximum $400 thousand dollar grant and a low interest ( 1%) loan of $4 million dollars. If the design opts to explore the geo-thermal cooling system, then the City could apply for 50% funding for the geo-thermal ground testing portion of the project. In order to qualify for a low interest loan or the grant, the building must be built to a minimum LEED Silver standard. The HST is expected to have a positive impact on the price tag, as it could save about $500 thousand on the final construction bill. While  there  were suggestions  the tender price could be 20% lower than initially thought because of reduced construction activity, the designers admit there is no telling what the construction acitivity in the province will be by the time this project is actually out for tender, so there is no indication of accuracy on estimates. 

 

The full construction estimate won’t be known until the design has been completed. The final drawings and pre tender packages aren’t expected to be complete until sometime in the first quarter of 2010.

 

The City will have to ask the community for approval to borrow the money to pay for it.

 

As it stands now, the timetable for the project calls for financial approval process in the 1^st or 2^nd quarter of 2010, tender and construction start in the 2^nd or 3^rd  quarter of next year, and completion of the project in the 2^nd or 3^rd quarter of 2012.

 

Councilor Dave Wilbur maintains this is the wrong time, the wrong place and the wrong design for the RCMP detachment and voted against pursuing  grant applications.