NIPAWIN — Nipawin council voted to increase its contribution for the Pool @ Central Park’s renovations by almost $248,000 after running into higher than expected costs.
The town originally provided $496,000. With the increase, the town’s contribution is $680,000.
“Council was informed back in March about some concerns we were anticipating about the overall project budget,” said Barry Elliott, Nipawin’s administrator. “As it turns out, a number of the costs came in higher than we originally anticipated when we put the budget together, and there is not much you can do about that.”
As a result, the project was $184,000 short.
In addition, funds raised by the Nipawin Pool Buildings Improvements Committee were lower than anticipated, requiring the town to cover an extra $63,000.
Town staff recommended the project be continued, but the exact cost of the project was unknown at the time.
“When you put together a budget, you make assumptions about what the individual components of the project are going to cost,” Elliott said. “It’s only when you go out to tender, and we have gone to tender on almost all components of the budget. It’s only then you get a true sense of exactly what the costs are going to be.
When you put together a budget, it is frankly the best estimate of what you believe it’s going to cost.”
The $248,000 will be taken from the town’s stabilization reserve, which previously had a balance of about $302,000.
As for the project, right now the final work on the wall finishes are being completed.
This step needs to be completed before electrical work can take place.
“We do not have a projected date to open at this point, but we are working with the contractors to get us to the point where we can open,” Elliot said. “All efforts are being made to complete this project as thoroughly, and efficiently and as quickly as possible.”
The additional funding was passed by council at their meeting on May 27.
