Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Jasper Municipal Council chose WSP as project manager for the activity centre renovation during its regular meeting on Aug. 17.
The contract is worth $98,790.
鈥淭his is not a design and engineering or anything architectural having to do with the project,鈥� said CAO Bill Given.
鈥淭his is simply administration鈥檚鈥� additional support to manage the project. All the other phases will come along and go forward to council for decision.鈥�
The Jasper Activity Centre is a collection of town-owned facilities that include the Jasper Fitness and Aquatic Facility and the Jasper Activity Centre/Arena.
Many of the facilities were built decades ago but have since undergone several additions and renovations.
The municipality has secured approximately $6.95 million in grant and municipal tax funding towards a major renovation of the facilities.
Out of this amount, council has budgeted $1,056,228 for design and engineering related to the facilities in 2021 and $200,000 for a structural review of the Fitness and Aquatics Centre in 2021.
The project manager will support ongoing project oversight, monitoring and reporting throughout the project as required, as well as the rationalization of the various capital projects into a comprehensive program and the engagement of other professional services.
It will also support co-ordination of internal Municipality of Jasper resources and co-ordination with Parks Canada, as required.
鈥淎dministration believes that this support in terms of project management services will be a very key element in ensuring that a substantial renovation project, which we received significant provincial and federal capital funding for, goes off without a hitch and delivers the best value per dollar for those grant monies,鈥� Given said.
The request for proposal (RFP) for project management services was posted on July 16, with a closing date of July 30.
Ten valid submissions were received, and a selection committee reviewed the proposals, with administration eventually recommending WSP to receive the contract.
Coun. Bert Journault raised a concern that WSP was already doing a substantial amount of work for the municipality.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 see enough independence there, especially further down the road when there鈥檚 going to be some changeovers, for example,鈥� Journault said.
Given replied that municipal administration, not the project manager, would evaluate submissions for design and engineering work.
Administration would also ensure there was a 鈥渞igorous separation鈥� between the project manager and any other project that it would like to bid on.
The renovation is anticipated to run from fall 2021 through to construction completion in late 2023.
