Renovations at Avening Hall are eight to 10 weeks behind schedule and with the changing season comes increasing awareness that the building is at risk from the elements.
Members of Avening Hall board heard about the delays during an update from Township of Clearview’s director of parks and recreation Terry Vachon when he attended the Oct. 6 board meeting held in council chambers at the township’s administrative office in Stayner.
Vachon said the contractor, IHC General Contracting, was awarded the job through a bidding process but has not been meeting the timelines laid out in the tender documents.
The contract for an addition and renovations to facilitate accessibility, including the paving of the parking lot, was awarded in the amount of $1,352,370. The project includes a fully accessible addition to the back (east side) of the hall, including a new accessible commercial kitchen, an elevator and gender neutral washrooms, while preserving the main hall and lower level bowling lanes.
The tender was awarded in March and the contract was to begin on April 17 with a completion date of Nov. 3.
Work didn’t start until June and Vachon said the contractor will not be able to meet the November deadline.
He said the township and its engineers did its due diligence by conducting an extensive reference check but are now on site every other day to make sure tasks are completed properly.
“We’re practically having to hold their hand through the project,” said Vachon, adding they are now on a modified week-to-week timeline.
“If they fail to meet the timelines it’s more justification to pull the plug,” said Vachon.
In the early stages of the project all of the vinyl siding was removed from the building. Vachon said township officials are aware that the building needs to be protected from the elements and plans are in the works to wrap it with some kind of weather barrier.
He said, to his knowledge, there has been no damage to the building so far.
“The goal is to get it finished as soon as humanly possible,” said Vachon. “This is very unfortunate.” Vachon said it is hoped a resolution will be found by next month and township officials are exploring next steps but it is not known when the community hall will re-open.
Trina Berlo photo: The elevator shaft is seen taking shape at the Avening Hall construction site, along with the exposed wood frame. The project is behind schedule and township officials are exploring next steps to weather proof the building before the snow flies.