Lac La Biche Council provided with information on development of new Aquatic Centre

Administration from the Hamlet of Lac La Biche provided County Council with information on the development and milestones for the development of the new aquatic center recently.

On April 5, at the regular council meeting, Darrell Lessmeister, Associate CAO of Recreation and Community Services, told elected officials that Administration is presently working with RC Strategies to complete the RFP for Project Management to develop the new aquatics center.

“With the retaining of the Project Manager, they will work with Administration to retain the services of an Architectural Firm and Construction Contractor,” Lessmeister said in Hamlet documents. “County Council will approve the contracting of a Project Manager, architectural firm, and construction contractor.”

The Project Manager will work with the Architectural Firm and Construction Contractor to complete the Schematic and Detail Design; throughout this process County Council will be involved in the approval of items and the Final Design, Lessmeister added.

On February 8, County Council received a presentation from RC Strategies regarding the new aquatic center concept and the construction process to construct the new aquatic center.

County Council approved the following motion: “That County Council accepts new Aquatic Center concept as information, and further that Council directs Administration to move forward with the Construction Management process for the development of the new Aquatics Center.”

The awarding of the Project Management of the new Aquatics Center will come back to County Council for approval in May 2022.

Once the Project Manager is retained, the Project Manager will work with Administration to retain the services of an architectural firm and a Construction Company to complete the project. The approval of the Architectural firm and the Construction Contractor will come back to County Council for approval.

“As presented by RC Strategies on February 8, we are anticipating schematic and detailed design will be completed September/October 2022,” Lessmeister said. “Throughout the process of schematic and detail design County Council will have approval points. The schematic and final design will come back to County Council for final approval.”

The Consultant and Administration are anticipating construction from April 2023 to September 2025. There will be updates and approval points for County Council throughout the construction period. More detailed schedules will be developed and provided with hiring the Project Manager, Architectural Firm, and Construction Contractor.

The project’s cost will be $27 million, with the funding source being $15.0 million in grants and a $12 million County debenture.

With the retaining of the Project Management, the County will be able to have more detailed timelines and approval processes. The Construction Management process has the Project Manager work directly with the Architectural Firm and Construction Contractor to develop the Schematic and Final Design.

Throughout this process, County Council will have points of approval and flexibility with the design and construction.