Centennial Drive Reconstruction To Cost More
Press Release
Construction activities related to the Centennial Drive Phase 1 Reconstruction Project are anticipated to recommence this August.
On Aug. 12, 2022, at a special meeting, Orillia Council authorized a change order in the amount of $1.645 million, which amends the contract with the City’s contractor, John Bravakis Enterprises Inc. (JBE). The change order was authorized as a result of legal negotiations between the City and JBE to complete the remaining portions of the contract for the Centennial Drive Phase 1 Reconstruction Project. The change order for the contract is subject to execution by both parties, which is anticipated to be completed within the next week.
“We are pleased that through negotiations we have reached a resolution that is anticipated to result in construction activities beginning again shortly. While there will be additional expenses to get this done, the City’s negotiations were focused on the successful completion of the project and careful cost mitigation,” said Mayor Steve Clarke. “We appreciate the community’s patience during negotiations, especially those within the vicinity of the project area. We recognize this has been a frustrating situation for all parties involved and we look forward to having the change order for the contract solidified and moving the project forward.”
The Centennial Drive Phase 1 Reconstruction Project includes the construction of the Cedar Island Road Sanitary Sewage Pump Station and Elgin Street reconstruction from Front Street South to Cedar Island Road. The project is one of a series of construction projects to improve the infrastructure and revitalize the downtown waterfront area.
Construction activities were limited as a result of challenges with contract interpretation and implementation earlier this year. Negotiations took place over the past several months in order to ensure a viable solution that results in the most responsible use of taxpayer dollars. The approved additional funding will be allocated from reserves and does not impact the 2022 budget or tax levy.
It is anticipated that once the change order for the contract is executed by both parties, JBE will remobilize its workforces and be onsite within a week. When JBE remobilizes, residents can expect to see a hub of activity on site. The revised construction schedule anticipates that the installation of the new sanitary sewer beneath The Esplanade will occur over the winter and spring of 2022/2023, and that the new Cedar Island Road Sanitary Sewage Pump Station will be complete in the fall of 2023. Following the completion and commissioning of the new sanitary sewage pump station, the final paving of Elgin Street, The Esplanade, and the affected portion of Cedar Island Road are expected to be completed in the spring of 2024.
(The $10.6 million project is now a $12.245 million project with $1.4 million coming from the wastewater asset management reserve, $146,750 from the water asset management reserve and $100,000 from the gas tax reserve.)
For further details on next steps and the anticipated construction schedule, please visit orillia.ca/centennial.
“While this is an extended timeline and longer than was originally anticipated, it is important that the project is done right. The new timeline will allow JBE to complete the work most efficiently while also allowing the City to responsibly balance the budget requirements of the project,” said Ian Sugden, General Manager of Development Services and Engineering.
Once the change order for the contract is executed and construction activity resumes, updates will be provided weekly on the City’s project page and social media channels. For more information on the Centennial Drive area improvements and to sign up to receive updates, please visit orillia.ca/centennial.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
