HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-089 - Victoria Park Washroom Project
REPORT TO:
Mayor Zehr and Members of Council
DATE OF MEETING:
September 16, 2013
SUBMITTED BY:
Cynthia Fletcher, Director – Facilities Management- 741-
2600 x 4424
PREPARED BY:
Doug Hergott, Manager - Facilities Management – 741-2600
x 4684
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
All
DATE OF REPORT:
September 4, 2013
REPORT NO.:
INS-13-089
SUBJECT: VICTORIA PARK WASHROOM PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION:
That $150,000 of funding the Victoria Park washroom project be approved as follows:
59500136 CAP/FM/48 Ontario Building Maintenance $65,000
59500348 Operations Parks Improvement $25,000
Capital Contingency $60,000
Total $150,000
BACKGROUND:
In April 2012, Council approved that staff conduct a public consultation and provide options for
public washrooms in Victoria Park. On May 7, 2012, staff tabled a report with several options
and a plan to start the consultation. Staff were directed to proceed with the public consultation
and to return to Council with recommendations in September of 2012.
In the meantime, staff were made aware of the Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund
(CIIF) program and developed a list of projects for Council to consider for application to the
program. Projects have a timeline for completion by March 31, 2014. In August 2012, Council
approved projects for CIIF grant application and the Victoria Park Public Washroom project was
included but ranked as priority 7.
At the time, staff developed a class D budget of $400,000, based primarily on the potential to
renovate or put an addition on an existing building. On Dec. 7, 2012, the City of Kitchener was
informed we were successful in our funding application.
As part of the 2013 budget process, funding for the City’s 50% portion of the project was
included. The City was successful in securing 50 % of the submitted $400,000 estimate. In
February 2013, based on public consultation input, Council approved building a new washroom
facility in Victoria Park and staff proceeded to work with the consultant, Heritage Kitchener and
internal regulatory divisions on detailed design.
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REPORT:
The approved funding allocation for this project of $400,000 was based on a Class D estimate,
based primarily on the potential to renovate or put an addition on an existing building. Detailed
design drawings needed to be completed in order to update/upgrade the estimate to a Class
A/B estimate. Given the short time between the detailed project scope definition (Spring 2013)
and the tender call, staff proceeded to tender in order to obtain as accurate costing as possible
prior to reporting back to Council regarding potential funding adjustments.
In addition, it is important to note that the cost of this building is higher than the typical school or
municipal building for the following reasons:
1.This building has all of the attributes of a school or other building with none of
theempty floor area against which project costs can averaged out. A
typical 50,000sf elementary school, 80% of which is generic space, costs in
the range of $160/sf. The scale of this building could be responsible for this figure to be
multiplied by a factor of 125% +1-,or a lump sum of
High Degree of Building Services: This is a washroom building, containing very little other
than plumbing rough-ins and fixtures. Because plumbing and plumbing fixtures are costly
goods and services, washrooms are the most expensive components in a typical building.
Furthermore, the floor area accommodates a high degree of service spaces in the form of
plumbing chases and a mechanical/ electrical far out of proportion to a typical
building. The intensity of plumbing in this building could add at least $25/sf over the cost of
a simple storage building, or
3.Heritage Designation: From the roofing material to the brick masonry, massing and
detailing, this building was designed to fit into the sensitive context of Victoria Park. Cedar
shingles, premium brick masonry, a covered porch, low-sloped roof, historical-styled
windowswere added to meet the requirements of building within this highly defined
environment. These features could add as much as $35/sf, or $41,000 over a simpler
building.
4.Accessibility: The automatic powered door, large wheelchair turning radii within the
building, re-grading at the exterior, as well as a dedicated barrier free washroom have all
significantly to the floor area and complexity of the project. Meeting current and
additional barrier free standards have added as much as $20,000 to this
5.Schedule: Installing brick masonry and finishes during the winter months will add winter
heat and protection costs to the project. As well, meeting project funding targets
costs associated with an accelerated schedule. The figure for these additional
costs is inthe $25,000 range.
Staff tendered the project last month and received 8 bids for construction ranging from
$564,774 to a high of $788,740 (including HST). The two low bids were less than $5000 apart
providing evidence that the low bid was not an aberration or outlier.
Options:
1. Proceed with the project:
Allocating additional funds to the project allows us to meet the timelines for the
CIIF program
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We will be able to achieve the objective of providing additional public washrooms
in Victoria Park
2. Cancel the project and try to reallocate grant funding, if possible:
While City of Kitchener funding could be re-allocated, we do not have a
guarantee from the CIIF program that funding can be re-allocated elsewhere.
Even if the CIIF funding can be re-allocated, it would be difficult to increase the
scope of the other approved project (Community Trails) and achieve the timeline
of the CIIF program during winter construction.
Funding for washrooms in Victoria Park would need to compete for funding in the
10 year capital forecast at a later date.
3. Options to reduce the cost :
Staff and consultants have reviewed the design and tender documents to
determine any area to scale back. Because the building is small, there are few
areas to scale back. One example could be substituting asphalt shingles for the
cedar shingles - the cost savings would be in the magnitude of $15,000.
Re-designing the project would jeopardize timelines related to the CIIF program.
Staff recommend Option 1 – Proceed with the project – this option maximizes the utilization of
available CIIF grant funding and also achieves the objective of providing additional public
washrooms in Victoria Park as early as possible, in 2014.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Through a public engagement process, the need for dedicated public washrooms was affirmed
and endorsed by Council.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Estimated Cost:
Tender T13-072 costs, including HST $564,744.00
less: HST rebate on tender $ 56,177.52
Net Cost Being Awarded $508,596.48
Costs incurred to date $ 25,098.94
Contingency $ 16,000.00
Estimated Cost $549,695.42
Budget for the Project
City of Kitchener 2014 Budget Funding $200,000.00
Federal Government - CIIF Funding $200,000.00
Total Budget $400,000.00
Estimated Surplus/(Deficit) ($150,000.00)
Deficit to be funded from the following sources:
59500136 CAP/FM/48 Ontario Building Maintenance $65,000.00
59500348 Operations Parks Improvement $25,000.00
Capital Contingency $60,000.00
Total $150,000.00
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
The concept and design for this project was reviewed through a consultation process with the
Victoria Park working group, Heritage Kitchener and Grand River Accessibility Advisory Council
(GRAAC).
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO-Infrastructure Services
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