It looks like the proposed arts centre for the former library in Canmore will reach completion, but a decision to change the scope as a result of budget issues didn’t pass with ease at council this week.
The project has been in redesign for six months as a result of tenders for the original design coming in significantly over budget. Over that time, though, changes have been found so that most of the scope for the work inside the facility can be realized without the need to spend $1.4 million on a new roof and mechanical system.
But several councillors questioned whether spending $2.5 million on the aging building is the best and highest use of resources by the municipality.
Councillors Joanna McCallum, Sean Krausert and Ed Russell all indicated they would prefer to explore an option to lease commercial space in the community for an arts centre.
“I am 100 per cent in support of an arts centre and I really want this to happen, but I have concerns growing with regards to that site as it continues to go over budget and other issues in our community rise to the top,” Krausert said. “I am concerned with this being the highest and best use of that site.”
He said other community needs for the site, which is part of a corridor owned entirely by the municipality, could include parking, affordable housing and more office space for the municipality in addition to an arts centre.
McCallum pointed to the fact Canmore is undergoing a comprehensive review of its downtown enhancement plan and by investing millions into the building now will sterilize the site for redevelopment.
“I am looking forward to an arts centre being built in the next 12 months, I just don’t think the old library is the right location,” she said. “Quite frankly, this will sterilize that land because we are putting a giant financial investment in it now.
“I think the lease option is something that requires further investigation.”
Ron Remple, speaking for Canmore Business and Tourism and Bow Valley Builders and Developers Association, also questioned using the site when next year the downtown enhancement plan will be reviewed.
“BOWDA and CBT support the development of an arts centre in Canmore,” he said. “However, we believe any project needs to be sustainable and to fit within the Town’s long range plans, including the Town Centre Enhancement plan, which is due to be reviewed next year.”
Remple asked if the municipality has considered whether this prime downtown location is the only location for an arts centre.
The majority of council, however, voted in favour of the motion to move forward with the revised project in the old library.
Mayor John Borrowman spoke passionately in support of the work the Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation has undertaken to bring the project from an idea to reality.
“This is an opportunity to proceed with a facility that speaks to the creative side of some of our residents,” he said. “I recognize putting $2.5 million into a facility that may be knocked down in five to 10 years is a tough decision.”
Coun. Esmé Comfort expressed concern there would be no commercial space in Canmore to meet the needs of an arts centre.
“I think there are no leasable places at present and I think it would be the death of the effort and energy CMAF has had,” she said. “I don’t think we are sterilizing the land; I think we are revitalizing the site by putting something in there that is a community asset.”
Coun. Vi Sandford said potential long-term uses that would be identified in an enhancement plan are not only far out in the future; money to take on that kind of major project doesn’t exist.
Sandford pointed out the municipality will continue to pay off the debenture on the building and she would rather see it used than sit vacant.
The municipality bought the building, which is now 30 years old, from the province after liquor sales in Alberta were privatized. Canmore still has eight years of payments on the debenture taken to buy it, with $975,143 worth of debt outstanding at the end of this year.
Canadian Mountain Arts Foundation board member Lynne MacLeod encouraged council to support moving forward with the proposed recommendation instead of taking the option of looking for leased spaced.
“It is difficult to find the words to express how passionately the directors involved feel about getting an arts centre for Canmore and the hundreds and hundreds of hours invested in creating this plan,” MacLeod said. “Our goal is to see everyone from preschoolers to senior citizens discover and develop their creativity and in our view, the old library is the right location to do that.”
Manger of facilities Stephen Hanus related to council the history of the project over the past several years, its design and the construction tender results.
He said during work trying to find scope changes in order to bring it within the $2.3 million budget, administration determined improvements inside the building can be done to address structural issues that before required a full overhaul of the roof to meet the building code for snow load.
“This would be a significant departure from the status quo, but there are several key benefits to it,” Hanus said. “The functionality of the initial design would remain intact.
“Another benefit is the costs are much closer to budget and it also maintains the momentum of the project and allows it to continue forward.”
The process to award the contract to renovate the interior and replace the roof and mechanical systems in February saw five bids, all of which came in over budget. The lowest bid was $900,000 over the $2.3 budget approved by council.
Hanus said since that time efforts have been taken to work with CMAF and GEC Architecture to find cost savings and several items were identified. It was then re-opened to a proposal call for pre-construction and construction management services with the intention to engage the most qualified contractor during pre-construction and work together on a value engineering exercise to reduce the budget.
While Bird Construction was selected, Hanus said inflationary costs increased so the $280,000 in savings found in the scope was eroded, resulting in it still being estimated to be $935,000 over budget.
He said a more aggressive search for options at that point resulted in the recommendation to council to proceed only with leasehold improvements to the interior and put in structural reinforcements for the roof.
“We basically address the snow load issues by enhancing the structural integrity from within,” Hanus said, adding further replacement costs of the mechanical system will be deferred into an operational program.
