Costs for infrastructure to the Credit Union CUPlex are running at least half a million dollars higher than what previous estimates indicated it would be.
That is according to a memo to Mayor Ian Hamilton and city council from Public Works director Stewart Schafer, dated Oct. 19 and received at Monday night's council meeting.
According to Schafer, the actual tendered cost for the road, water, sanitary and storm sewer work at the Carlton Trail-Heritage Way location is $1,629,155. That's $538,155 above the estimated costs for the projects.
The tendered cost for the roads is $481,855, which is $155,855 more than what was estimated. For sanitary, the cost is $174,900 or $18,900 ahead of estimates. For the storm sewer the cost was much higher: $691,900, or $395,900 more than estimated.
The only category where the City came out ahead was for water. That tender came in at $280,500, or $32,500 less than what had been estimated.
In his memo Schafer outlined three main factors for the difference. The storm sewer variance was due to a change from a 750 mm diameter pipe to a 1,350 mm pipe. The thickness of the pavement for Carlton Trail was changed as well from 50 mm to 75mm, and the width of the road was changed from seven meters to eight.
The increased costs, particularly for the storm sewer, shocked city councillors including Rhonda Seidel.
"Wow," she said, looking at the hike.
Seidel wanted to know the precise reason why the switch was made to a 1,350 mm pipe and Schafer responded he would get an answer by the next meeting.
Schafer's report was in response to an inquiry from Councillor Grace Lang at a previous meeting, who had inquired about costs related to the road and infrastructure construction work being done in the area over the past number of weeks.
