The cost of another project in the Cowichan Valley Regional District has skyrocketed.
The district’s board pre-approved more spending from its 2022 budget to cover the increased costs of much-needed repair and maintenance work on the transfer building at Bings Creek Recycling Centre on Drinkwater Road at its meeting on Jan. 12.
The board had approved $352,500 for the critical repairs for the building last year, but due to increases in material and labour costs since then, the cost of the work has almost doubled to $661,220.
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Doug Stevens, the CVRD’s solid waste operations superintendent, said in a report that delaying the repairs beyond Jan. 31 would require immediate shoring of the building structure as per recommendations from the structural engineer.
“This temporary short-term solution would add an additional $70,000 to the project budget,” he said.
“The additional cost to complete the repairs for the transfer building are $198,600, with an additional project contingency of $110,120, for a total of $308,720, which would be funded from operating reserves.”
Stevens said the Bings Creek transfer station is critical infrastructure supporting essential recycling and waste management services.
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“The implementation of the solid-waste management plan will add further pressures on this infrastructure,” he said.
“It is imperative that this facility is repaired to provide the required level of service, and that a maintenance strategy be developed to maximize its useful life.”
The board gave approval to the extra spending at the meeting on Jan. 12 without any discussion.
At the same meeting, the board also gave pre-approval for almost $165,000 in extra spending in the 2022 budget for the new pickleball courts at the Kerry Park Recreation Centre.
That project had an initial budget of $580,000, but the costs jumped to $744,500 from last year due to cost increases in the construction market.
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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