1523 replies to this topic

[Bingo]

The way the current bridge project is going, Victorians are going to need  "No shake up" Cascarets....handy in case of an earthquake.

[Mike K.]

$8.026 million for added bridge costs. Is that right? Did I hear that right on CFAX?

[VicHockeyFan]

$8.026 million for added bridge costs. Is that right? Did I hear that right on CFAX?

 

That's what I heard.  In mediation, just concluded, we conceded another $2M in costs.  And the fendering issue is still not factored into the pricing, Helps expects more dollars for that.  I'm still unclear on how we did not have that in the initial costs.

[spanky123]

That's what I heard.  In mediation, just concluded, we conceded another $2M in costs.  And the fendering issue is still not factored into the pricing, Helps expects more dollars for that.  I'm still unclear on how we did not have that in the initial costs.

 

Helps is quoted in the TC this morning as saying that the $2.4M settlement is better than anyone could have hoped for because the contractor was asking for $27M.

[VicHockeyFan]

Helps is quoted in the TC this morning as saying that the $2.4M settlement is better than anyone could have hoped for because the contractor was asking for $27M.

 

Oh yes, her team did such a swell job.  Of blowing another $2.4M.

[spanky123]

Oh yes, her team did such a swell job.  Of blowing another $2.4M.

 

First time I had heard that we were potentially on the hook for an additional $27M.

 

So lets say that the $27M were legitimate costs that the contractor(s) had incurred on the $100M bridge. I would have to think then that most if not all off the profit is now gone so you have to wonder what the final product is going to be and how many corners will get cut between now and the new, again delayed, delivered date.

[VicHockeyFan]

First time I had heard that we were potentially on the hook for an additional $27M.

 

When they agreed to mediation it was a lot less.  Who knows.

 

 http://www.timescolo...spute-1.1400187

[Nparker]

Helps is quoted in the TC this morning as saying that the $2.4M settlement is better than anyone could have hoped for because the contractor was asking for $27M.

It's not terminal cancer; we're just going to have to remove both your feet and hands.

[Mike K.]

PCL knows that the show isn't over yet. They have another three years to return to the City for more money.

 

I can't imagine the bridge will be operating before the fall of 2018. I just can't. It's a crying shame politicians can push these projects on us and when things go awry, disappear into thin air. Make no mistake about it, Fortin lost his mayoralty campaign over the bridge.

[VicHockeyFan]

Make no mistake about it, Fortin lost his mayoralty campaign over the bridge.

 

Ya, I think that's fair to say, with the margin he lost by.

 

So Helps can lose over sewage, the bridge, the tent city/homeless etc.

 

I always get a laugh out of this thinking:

 

The additional costs will not have a tax impact as they are proposed to be drawn from the city’s building and infrastructure reserve, which has an unallocated balance of $36 million.

 

- See more at: http://www.timescolo...h.B90fQty8.dpuf

 

At least the TC could say "The additional costs will not have a tax impact as they are proposed to be drawn from the city’s building and infrastructure reserve, which has an unallocated balance of $36 million, says Helps."

 

Spending an extra $8M has tax implications, of course it does, this year or some future date.

[Nparker]

...At least the TC could say "The additional costs will not have a tax impact as they are proposed to be drawn from the city’s building and infrastructure reserve, which has an unallocated balance of $36 million, says Helps."..

Reminds me of what Comrade Isitt told me in his recent e-mail:

 

From: Ben Isitt (Councillor) <BIsitt@victoria.ca>

Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2016 08:14:30 AM
Subject: RE: It's Time to Listen to ALL the Citizens of Victoria

 

The Regional Housing First Strategy involves a local government investment of $11/average household/year. City of Victoria taxpayers will see no net increase in property taxes from this program, since we are already paying this amount into a different CRD fund, that is being re-purposed for Housing First.

 

Ben Isitt
Victoria City Councillor and CRD Director
Email. bisitt@victoria.ca / Tel. 250.882.9302
Web. www.BenIsitt.ca

[sam]

First time I had heard that we were potentially on the hook for an additional $27M.

 

Focus reported these increases as they were taking place.

 

April 2015 report here: http://focusonline.c... April 2015.jpg ($113-120 million)

 

September 2015 report here: http://focusonline.c...mber 2015.2.jpg ($126-133 million)

 

November 2015 report here: http://focusonline.c...mber 2015.4.jpg  ($130-137 million)

 

The City's latest budget ($105 M) plus the amount mediated out of the cost ($25 M) plus the likely cost of fendering as per Huggett's previous estimates ($4 M) plus public realm ($1 M) plus retaining wall ($1.1 M) = $136.1 million.

 

I told you so.   

 

I'm wondering what the City had to give up to save that $25 M.

 

David

Edited by sam, 16 April 2016 - 05:11 PM.

[Bingo]

PCL knows that the show isn't over yet. They have another three years to return to the City for more money.

 

I can't imagine the bridge will be operating before the fall of 2018. I just can't. It's a crying shame politicians can push these projects on us and when things go awry, disappear into thin air.

 

Oh man!   There will be lots of fixes needed yet.

Refurbishment used to be the dirty word of the project, but we have already been refurbishing the replacement as we go along.

The bridge will not even look like, feel like or smell like the bridge that was promised.

Wait until the fine clockwork gears are installed and something goes clank and the thing gets stuck up, and we'll have to call somebody.

[spanky123]

Focus reported these increases as they were taking place.

 

April 2015 report here: http://focusonline.c... April 2015.jpg ($113-120 million)

 

September 2015 report here: http://focusonline.c...mber 2015.2.jpg ($126-133 million)

 

November 2015 report here: http://focusonline.c...mber 2015.4.jpg  ($130-137 million)

 

The City's latest budget ($105 M) plus the amount mediated out of the cost ($25 M) plus the likely cost of fendering as per Huggett's previous estimates ($4 M) plus public realm ($1 M) plus retaining wall ($1.1 M) = $136.1 million.

 

I told you so.   

 

I'm wondering what the City had to give up to save that $25 M.

 

David

 

Don't know if you can count $25M in apparently mediated cost savings as part of your overall budget, but the bridge is not finished and I am sure that there will be lots of new costs determined between now and then.

[Mike K.]

I think it's fair to say that if that sum was on the table, sidestepping the majority of it for the time being will unfortunately not absolve us of those costs as this boondoggle drags on.

[sam]

Don't know if you can count $25M in apparently mediated cost savings as part of your overall budget, but the bridge is not finished and I am sure that there will be lots of new costs determined between now and then.

 

Spanky, you missed my point. You originally said "First time I had heard we were potentially on the hook for an additional $25." My point was the information was out there for you to know, but somehow you missed it. In Focus' next bridge story we will provide an updated "likely price." My own view is that if media simply publish the latest budget figure offered by the City, without questioning that number, there would be less pressure coming from taxpayers for the City to take a hard line with MMM, PCL and H&H. Your "First time I heard…" suggests you might be someone who was thinking everything was okay.

 

Over time, City employees and some elected councillors have become more realistic about the partners they're working with on the bridge project. It takes a community-wide effort to build infrastructure at a reasonable price, and that includes critical input from media. It also requires that citizens make sure they get information from more than one source. My swaggering emoticon was added because Focus takes pride in providing information that's harder to obtain than simply quoting City of Victoria staff reports.

 

David Broadland

[Nparker]

... It takes a community-wide effort to build infrastructure at a reasonable price, and that includes critical input from media. It also requires that citizens make sure they get information from more than one source. My swaggering emoticon was added because Focus takes pride in providing information that's harder to obtain than simply quoting City of Victoria staff reports.

 

David Broadland

Assuming it ever gets built (and of course I'd prefer it doesn't) I trust Focus will be just as diligent in reporting the true (and astronomical) costs of Waste Water management. Believe me, the cost overruns on the bridge are going to look like chump change in comparison.

Edited by Nparker, 17 April 2016 - 01:19 PM.

[Mike K.]

...and we're about to start on a third fiasco, a casino.

[VicHockeyFan]

...and we're about to start on a third fiasco, a casino.

 

A casino will be built with private funds.  Like they all have been.  Private-sector companies own and operate them.

[Mike K.]

I get that, but watch us get into a complicated, bureaucratic nightmare nonetheless*.

Obviously I'd much prefer if the City would just back away from the profit sharing thing and let the private operator do what they do best.