ELORA – Some councillors are unsure about the current plan to hire a consultant to evaluate potential designs for a new multi-use surface at Bissell Park.
One of the first steps in upgrading the multi-use surface at Bissell Park, councillors approved awarding a contract to ATA Architects Inc. to develop a conceptual design for the project's four design options for $89,670, excluding HST in a three-to-two vote at a Centre Wellington council meeting Monday evening.
This decision was reached after a lengthy debate about whether the project's evolving scope was still worth it for the township.
Mayor Shawn Watters didn't participate in the discussion due to a declared pecuniary interest.
"The Bissell Park multi-use pad is a highly used drop-in recreation facility, a valuable municipal asset that is at end of life. Council's strategic plan supports the goal...to improve the activity and health and wellness of the community," said the township's managing director of community services, Pat Newson, during the meeting. "With the warmer winter months, ice making is unstable. So refrigerating that pad when it is being rehabilitated is a good strategy to maximize the opportunities for different types of drop-in activities at this highly used location."
The 2024 budget currently forecasts a $700,000 "top-up" for the project in 2025 and staff said hiring a consultant to evaluate the potential designs will help "refine" that number.
Approximately $400,000 was originally budgeted for the project using existing funds given to the Elora Lions Club and the Elora Rockers from the Jack R. MacDonald grant.
"It's a unique spot," said Tom Keating, who represented the Elora Rockers and the Lions Club during the meeting. "It's been an ice rink for a lot of years, it's been a sports pad for a lot of years (and) it'd be a shame to bulldoze it and just make it grass."
Supported by a crowd in council chambers, John Scott from Green Lanes, a local environmental advocacy group, questioned the project's equity while delegating to council on the issue during the meeting.
Staff were previously directed to hire a consultant for conceptual and detailed design, construction-ready documents and a Class A construction budget for the project for up to $100,000 at a council meeting in August 2023.
Since then, staff said they determined it's "more effective" to complete an options assessment and establish a preferred option before proceeding to detailed design and tendering to allow project feedback, identify opportunities and constraints and explore cost options.
"It doesn't make sense. It's not the right time ... I really think we have enough money from the MacDonald fund to build a sports pad and not charge one dollar to the taxpayers," said Scott.
Coun. Bronwynne Wilton mirrored Scott's sentiments during the meeting and expressed disappointment at the similarity of the four options proposed for the project.
All four potential designs currently propose a new outdoor refrigerated multi-use surface with extra options for a garage and mechanical building, a protected skating loop and a roof structure.
Coun. Denis Craddock, who also voted against the motion, suggested staff come back with a "bare bones option" for the pad that wouldn't require a refrigerated surface.
"I'm just worried that the four scenarios that you've asked the architect to come back with are all committing to an expensive refrigerated model going forward and I would have liked to see a little more variety," said Wilton, asking for more "lower cost scenarios."
Coun. Lisa MacDonald, who voted in favour of the proposal, defended the project during the meeting.
"I would like to really see it move forward because (the consultant's) going to give me an informed decision of the long term cost," said MacDonald. "I also don't want to undermine the people that have fundraised for this."
The consultant's next steps will involve completing the detailed design including a relevant work scope and a full list of additional studies, permits and approvals required to determine the overall project design and estimated construction cost.
It will also provide council opportunities to comment on and approve the preferred options and high-level cost implications.
Once completed, separate procurement processes will be initiated for the detailed design and construction stages.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
