A report is being brought forward at Saskatoon’s Wednesday city council meeting asking for close to $6 million to be added to the Harry Bailey Aquatic Centre rehabilitation project.
The pool was shut down in March 2023, with the city stating that it had reached its end of service life and that a major upgrade was needed for the centre, which was built in 1975.
Initial projections in July 2023 found that upgrading the building would require two years and between $18 to $24 million to complete, but tenders came back much higher than what the city anticipated.
The report for Wednesday said those initial tenders came back more than double the construction budget.
It was also noted that the building had the highest energy usage of all the city’s recreational facilities.
The report is recommending that $5,950,000 be added to the capital budget of the project, reaching a total of $29,982,700.
After the initial tenders, city administration went back to the drawing board and underwent a scope adjustment and redesign process for the pool project.
Expansions and additions for the project have been cancelled, the pool itself will undergo a patch and repair process rather than a demolition and renewal, and several other cost-saving measures were brought forward.
The revised construction tender package was completed in March and the request for proposal was sent out in April.
City administration’s plan to cover the additional cost of the project has money being transferred from several reserves, as well as deferring work on the renovation of Fire Hall No. 6.