Prince George city council approves $760,000 washroom

CBC
·2 min read
A motion to approve an increase of more than 50 per cent in the project's $500,000 budget passed by a 5-to-3 vote at Prince George City Council Monday evening. (Andrew Kurjata/CBC - image credit)
A motion to approve an increase of more than 50 per cent in the project's $500,000 budget passed by a 5-to-3 vote at Prince George City Council Monday evening. (Andrew Kurjata/CBC - image credit)

Prince George city council has agreed to spend more than three-quarters of a million dollars to replace an aging public washroom in a park set to host the 2022 B.C. Summer Games.

A motion to approve an increase of more than 50 per cent in the project's $500,000 budget passed by a 5-to-3 vote on Monday evening, and sparked council debate.

"When you put a price tag of $760,000, you kind of wonder whether it's gold plated or silver lined," said Prince George councillor Frank Everett.

The aging facilities in Carrie Jane Gray Park were budgeted to be replaced in 2018, but were later added to the City Administration's 2022 Work Plan Priorities for the 2022 B.C. Summer Games. Hundreds of young athletes, families and spectators will crowd nearby baseball diamonds and playing fields in July.

"The current washroom facility is not useable, it's reached its end of life," Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall told CBC News, noting the new 750-square-foot building will meet accessibility standards, and house equipment storage facilities for park staff.

Staff blame pandemic economics

A city staff report to council noted the project was tendered twice, but failed to attract competitive bids.

"Due to the turbulence in the construction market at that time it is plausible that construction companies were too busy to bid on the project. With labour and shipping concerns at that time, the bid may have been high. It was decided to re-tender the project at the beginning of 2022 just before construction season hoping to attract more competition and better pricing," the report stated.

Once again, only one bid was obtained, this time at twice the budgeted costs.

Hall notes municipalities are facing the same pandemic economic pressures as developers and homeowners hoping to build.

"The supply chain, labour shortage, and increase costs of materials, we've not seen these increases ... in decades, if ever," Hall said.

"To the public, I understand that there's concerns about construction ... but that is what we're faced with. If you're going to construct any sized building you're going to face an increase in costs. And we do get to a point where we have to make a decision: are we going to move forward, or are we just going to let it go for two or three years and ultimately end up with more costs?"

Councillors Brian Skakun, Terri McConnachie, Kyle Sampson voted against the proposal.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • StockX CEO talks efforts to combat sneaker fraud

    Brands like Adidas (ADDYY), New Balance, and Hoka are gaining popularity in the sneaker market. However, not everyone selling is to be trusted. CEO of StockX Scott Cutler joins Wealth! to discuss the platform's fraud prevention efforts. Cutler notes that the U.S. secondary market is projected to be a $70 billion market by 2027, with half of the transactions occurring online. He emphasizes StockX's aim to protect against fraud through "physically inspecting" every item sold, having rejected over $600 million worth of merchandise. With more than 200,000 products in their catalog, Cutler stresses the importance of ensuring that each product "is what it's represented to be," to maintain the integrity of the platform and consumer trust. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Here’s How Much a $1,000 Crypto Investment in Ethereum at Its Launch Would Be Worth Now

    I invest a little "play money" in cryptocurrencies. And 2024 has been a great year for them. Read Next: 10 Valuable Stocks That Could Be the Next Apple or AmazonLearn More: 6 Genius...

  • 11 spring and summer wedding guest dresses to shop from Aritzia — starting under $100

    Looking for something stylish, comfortable and flattering? These dresses don't miss.

  • 3 Ways to Prepare Your Family Financially For Homeschooling

    Approximately 1.7 million children were homeschooled in 2015-2016 according to the Coalition for Responsible Home Education. However, The Washington Post more recently estimated that between 1.9 and...

  • Russian navy chief to participate in Chinese naval conference

    Russia's newly-appointed navy chief will take part in a major military conference in ally China, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Saturday, amid growing Western criticism of ties between the two countries. Admiral Alexander Moiseev will take part in the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) in China's city of Qingdao, TASS reported citing the Russian defence ministry, and will also hold bilateral meetings, including with China's navy top brass.

  • Why the Wealthy Hire Others to Pack Their Suitcases and Why You Might Consider It Too

    When the rich and famous head off on vacation, they don't mess around when it comes to packing their bags. Nope, they call in the professionals to handle that task. And you know...

  • 6 Best Restaurant Stocks To Invest In

    The outlook for restaurants looks great right now. The industry as a whole has held its own, despite challenges that come with rising inflation and interest rates.

  • 8 Signs You’re Not Ready to Freelance or Start Your Own Business

    From the confines of a cubicle, setting out on your own to freelance or starting your own business to make money can seem like a dream. But without proper planning, the right attitude and a strong...

  • Cool cops beat the heat: AC helmets revolutionize road safety in India

    Traffic police in Vadodara, India, don high-tech AC helmets to combat the scorching summer heat while ensuring road safety. Developed by students from IIM Vadodara, these innovative helmets are equipped with cooling technology to shield officers from heat-related illnesses during their outdoor duties.

  • Crackdown on fentanyl smuggling to prevent UK opioid crisis

    The Home Office is to launch a crackdown on drug gangs smuggling fentanyl into the UK in an attempt to avert a US-style opioid crisis.

  • US to withdraw military personnel from Niger

    The United States will withdraw its troops from Niger, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters late on Friday, adding an agreement was reached between US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Niger's leadership. There were a little over 1,000 US troops in Niger as of last year, where the US military operated out of two bases, including a drone base known as Air Base 201 built near Agadez in central Niger at a cost of more than $100 million.Since 2018, the base has been used to targe

  • Wrongfully convicted New Brunswick man dies months after exoneration

    FREDERICTON — A wrongfully convicted New Brunswick man who spent decades trying to clear his name before being declared innocent by a judge in January has died at the age of 80. Innocence Canada, the organization that led the legal fight to exonerate Walter Gillespie and his friend Robert Mailman of their 1984 murder convictions, says Gillespie died Friday in his home in Saint John, N.B. James Lockyer, founding director of Innocence Canada, called it sad that Gillespie, who spent 21 years in pri

  • Jodhpur-clad Princess Anne looked just like daughter Zara Tindall in unearthed photo

    King Charles' niece Zara Tindall looked just like jodhpur-clad mum Princess Anne in unearthed photo from the 1975 Badminton Horse Trials

  • Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Chinese swimmers were cleared to compete despite failed drug tests

    Twenty-three Chinese swimmers tested positive before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but were cleared to compete after it was found to be caused by contamination.

  • Hawaii sounds alarm after python is discovered at Oahu home

    It's illegal to possess snakes in Hawaii, as the invasive reptiles could devastate native fauna if released into the wild.

  • Cologne left contemplating Bundesliga relegation after home loss to last-place Darmstadt

    BERLIN (AP) — Cologne’s hopes of Bundesliga survival were dealt a major blow on Saturday after losing 2-0 at home to last-placed Darmstadt, the visitor's first win since October. Darmstadt defender Christoph Klarer scored in the 57th minute when the ball landed luringly at his feet after Cologne defenders failed to clear a corner. Some Cologne fans were left in tears after Oscar Vilhelmsson sealed Darmstadt’s win in the final minute, bringing Cologne’s seventh relegation from the Bundesliga a st

  • Canadian women's wheelchair basketball team punches ticket to Paralympic Games

    OSAKA, Japan — The Canadian women's wheelchair basketball team has secured its place at the 2024 Paralympic Games with a win at a qualifying tournament in Japan. The team beat Algeria 88-30 at the tournament in Osaka. Coach Michele Sung praised team members for their hard work in reaching this stage, noting their strong performance came under a coach who only recently took the helm. Paul Bowes stepped down as head coach in January after leading Canada to a silver medal in November's Parapan Amer

  • SNP will form minority government if Greens end deal

    Scottish Green members are to vote on whether to remain in government after the SNP ditched key climate change targets.

  • Kate Middleton’s brother in toxic feud with ‘nightmare neighbour who put up posters attacking family’

    Exclusive: James Middleton claims his neighbour put up malicious posters across neighbouring villages attacking the future Queen’s family

  • April 2024 full moon rises soon. But why is it called the 'pink moon'?

    April 2024's full moon will rise Tuesday evening, April 23, at 7:49 p.m. EDT.