A new stairway will indeed link the Canada Games Centre with Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre.
Whitehorse city council members confirmed this at their May 25 meeting when they voted to add another $26,000 to the previously-approved $162,462 project budget and to award the contract for the building of the stairway to PCR Construction Ltd.
PCR’s was the lowest of the five compliant bids that came in at $171,160.
Ketza Construction, P.S. Sidhu Trucking, Southpaw Construction, and Wildstone Construction and Engineering also submitted prices for the work.
“The prices submitted are approximately 19 per cent higher than estimated,” city engineering manager Taylor Eshpeter stated in an earlier report to council. “However, the prices seem to be reasonable considering the current market. It should be noted that the construction estimate was completed in 2019, and did not take into consideration potential impacts of COVID-19.”
The city has submitted an application to the Yukon government for gas tax funding to cover the additional cost. It’s expected the request will be approved, but the city can draw from its capital reserve to pay for the work.
If the gas tax funding is approved after funds are withdrawn from the city’s capital reserve, the gas tax funding will go to the reserve to replace the money taken out.
While the city received multiple bids on the work, Coun. Dan Boyd said he heard from one potential bidder that had been interested in the project, but did not see the tender advertised and therefore didn’t get a submission in.
At the same time Boyd acknowledged from the number of bids submitted there was “broad community knowledge” of the tender.
Tender documents are available on the city website at https://www.whitehorse.ca/departments/financial-services/procurement-opportunities
Boyd suggested the city should look at ways to ensure small contractors are aware of projects like this.
City staff said they will be looking at how contractors are informed or could be informed of upcoming opportunities and will report back to council.
The work is expected to be finished by Oct. 30.
Contact Stephanie Waddell at stephanie.waddell@yukon-news.com