Expected provincial funding still not in hand
John French
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**EDITOR'S NOTE: A correction has been made to the total budget of the Adventure Centre after an error was discovered in our published copy Nov. 26. The corrected numbers are in this story. The Chief regrets the error.**
Construction costs are pushing the Sea to Sky Adventure Centre budget over $2.3 million, with the District of Squamish on the hook for nearly $1.2 million if the provincial government does not contribute funds.
A District of Squamish (DOS) staff report on the budget issue indicates that construction costs are up 35 per cent since the original budget was drafted.
The original budget for the centre was $2,235,000 but is now set at $2,370,000.
To help keep costs down the size of the building has been decreased from 1,068.4 square metres (11,500 square feet) to 882.6 square metres (9,500 square feet). In addition, the on-site and off-site preparation budget was adjusted from $468,000 to $251,000 while the landscaping budget dropped from $75,000 to just $42,000. The furnishings and equipment budget was slashed to $30,000 from the original amount of $101,000, and the contingency budget was reduced from $199,000 to $100,000.
"The price per square foot is more in tune with what construction is costing in the corridor right now," said mayor Ian Sutherland.
The federal government pledged to pay $900,000 toward the capital cost of the adventure centre and that money is contingent upon the building being finished by March.
Through an agreement with Canadian Hydro Developments, the company that is currently building an electric generating plant on the Mamquam River, there is a $280,000 private sector contribution towards construction of the building. The mayor insists that the province will come up with $500,000 but at this point no official announcement has been made.
If the province does contribute half a million dollars that still leaves $690,000 to be paid by the DOS.
"How are we going to raise that capital?" asked Coun. Corinne Lonsdale at a regular meeting of council Tuesday (Nov. 23).
The DOS acting director of financial services, Ralph Hughes, said that will be an issue to be dealt with in the 2005 budget process.
"Council previously approved the spending," Sutherland added.
Lonsdale argued that council approved an expenditure closer to $400,000. The staff report indicates that original DOS portion of the building was $460,000.
At one point in 45 minutes of discussion on the new facility, deputy administrator Brent Leigh said: "Council is looking at some leaps of faith here. There is no doubt about that."
The budget figures that council discussed do not include all the costs associated with the project. Approximately $800,000 was spent to purchase the adventure centre property and that is not included in the capital budget.
Sutherland demanded an end to the discussion by asking the members of council to vote on a motion to enter another contract with the Iredale Group to continue working on the project.
The motion passed with only Lonsdale opposed.
On a related note, the provincial government announced this week that $20 million is available for communities to build legacies related to the 2010 Olympics.
Projects from local governments in the Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Squamish-Whistler corridor will not be considered and that doesn't sit well with Sutherland.
"The plan is to go back to the province and make a case that we should in fact quality," said Sutherland. "We are just like all the other communities getting ready for the Olympics and getting left out of this is a challenge for us."
