Council to review request to amend Five Year Financial plan to direct more money to Lester Centre roof work, defer traffic light replacement plans to 2025

More extensive roofing work is required for the Lester Centre
with the City's finance office looking to reallocate some
budget funding from the Fall towards the proposed work

Corinne Bomben, the City's Chief Financial Officer will present a recommendation to Council tonight to revise their work on the Five Year Financial Plan of the fall, redirecting funding planned for a traffic light replacement to be instead used on the Lester Centre Roof project.

That as Council considers  the revised cost of the Lester Centre work which has jumped significantly from the Fall budget work, that to address a number of issues with the Performing Arts facility roofing structure.

The Report for Council notes the following towards the state of the roof at the moment at the Facility at McBride and Wantage Road.

"The Lester Centre has a multi-roof system comprising of five (5) distinct roofs. Four (4) of the roofs are original to the building (1987) and beyond their life expectancy with the roof over the seating area having been replaced in 2015. 

Of the four remaining original roofs, the stage roof is considered the highest consequence should there be a failure. For this reason, the stage roof was included in the 2024 budget for replacement. 

Subsequent to this budget preparation, staff have learned that the remaining original roofs, the two (2) on the side facing Highway 16 and the one (1) at the back of the building, are leaking which is impacting the use of, and damaging, the building."

The original cost towards the work proposed in the fall was 200,000 dollars with the revised cost for the wider scope of work now estimated at one million and thirty thousand dollars.

With more work required on the Lester Centre Roof system
the original Budget Request will be increased significantly
if approved at tonight's Council Session

The resolution to be discussed at Council tonight, would see the Fulton and Third Avenue Traffic light replacement deferred until 2025. 

The 315,000 dollars originally earmarked for that work to be redirected to the Lester Centre project. The remaining cost that would be outstanding would be made up of funding from reserves and Dividends as well as by way of a grant.

The timing of the request is noted as to allow the City to move forward on procurement.

"This resolution is being requested now for the purposes of proceeding with procurement options up to and including all four (4) of the roof systems subject to receiving a positive grant outcome. There is no impact to property taxes proposed."

The Full Report to Council (see below) is also available as part of the Council Agenda package for tonight's 7PM session.

 

More notes from the City's Financial office can be reviewed here.

A wider overview of tonight's City Council session can be explored from our Council Preview.