1947 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

I believe we are officially in decade #2 of planning this project, while users of Crystal have been suffering from heart burn thinking their pool (which they love) would get replaced at any minute.

[mbjj]

Last night on the news was an article about how much the city of Halifax is going to have to cut back on necessities. I said to my husband, oh well, at least have lettuce seedlings.

[spanky123]

Last night on the news was an article about how much the city of Halifax is going to have to cut back on necessities. I said to my husband, oh well, at least have lettuce seedlings.

 

It is crazy. Every other City is being forced to cut back on expenditures given the drop in revenue yet Victoria keeps finding ways of spending more money. Yesterday council voted to take $500K from "contingency funds" to to drive more 'resiliency' projects to their friends and supporters, $30K to fund seedling delivery to people who don't have gardens and have staff get projects 'shovel ready' that they just finished deferring last month because they don't have money.

 

Must be nice to not understand economics. 

[Mike K.]

My understanding is there is a huge federal pipeline of cash coming, and it will be directed towards shovel-ready projects. Municipalities all across the country are trying to fast-track various initiatives in order for their funding applications to qualify.

[spanky123]

My understanding is there is a huge federal pipeline of cash coming, and it will be directed towards shovel-ready projects. Municipalities all across the country are trying to fast-track various initiatives in order for their funding applications to qualify.

 

You mean like during the last recession when billions were set aside for infrastructure projects that never materialized.

 

Not that I expect the Feds to care about money or make good decisions but construction is one industry that hasn't been as severely impacted over the past few months as many others.

[Victoria Watcher]

With no new cases of COVID-19 on Vancouver Island in a month, and with businesses and amenities reopening, so too are municipalities beginning to reopen recreation centres.

The District of Oak Bay’s municipal hall remains closed, likely for June, says the Mayor Kevin Murdoch. However, on Monday Oak Bay released a series of dates for the reopening of daycare and recreation centres since they closed in mid-March.

It starts with the June 15 opening of the Paddington Station Day Care in the Neighbourhood Learning Centre, which is part of the new Oak Bay High building.

 

 

https://www.vicnews....tres-in-stages/

[Mike K.]

All quiet on this front, it looks like.

[Nparker]

All quiet on this front, it looks like.

Good. There is no justifiable reason for undertaking this expenditure for at least 5 years. 

[On the Level]

Well....if they hadn't screwed everything up we would be close to the first swim.  

 

 

 

[Mike K.]

Can you believe the whole thing was derailed by Helps refusing to hold a referendum? There’s a good chance the funding would have come in bad the electorate been given the right to express its support for the project. But taxpayers never got the chance. And the province just pushed the plan off its desk.

[Nparker]

While the failure to launch this project is Lisa Helps' fault, the city, the province and the federal government all have significantly more pressing financial responsibilities now, so this is really a blessing in disguise. Taxpayer funded, "Cadillac" public projects like these, have no place when we are so far in debt. The CoV better get used to patching up the existing Crystal Pool for the foreseeable future, because unless private money comes on board, we cannot afford to build anything like what was envisioned.

[Victoria Watcher]

what’s great about that timeline is it does not even address where we are now. unable to even figure out where to put it even if we had the money.

all the original plans never envisioned it anywhere else but nearby where it is now.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 12 July 2020 - 03:01 PM.

[On the Level]

 

In choosing to look at alternative options the City lost $6 million from the Gas Tax Fund, $1 million from the Canadian Tire Jump Start Grant, and the first two years of a 10-year federal-provincial grant that was ready to cover up to 72 per cent of the $69.4 million project.

 

 

Costs have been estimated to rise by up to $500,000 per month.

 

At the same time, however, the present and ailing facility is costing upwards of $100,000 per month in maintenance costs.

 

https://www.vicnews....-pool-facility/

 

That $500,000 a month extra in cost comes from the staff report and is in a number of news articles....so that's an extra $12M

 

Then it was uncovered that the design was estimated at $90M and not $69.4M....that's an extra $20.6M

 

 

A watchdog group is citing previously unreleased consultants’ reports to suggest the Crystal Pool replacement could cost closer to $90 million — significantly more than the $69.4 million Victoria has budgeted.

 

https://www.timescol...lion-1.23426792

 

They then blew $2.3M on the original design and consultations and who know how much since as they bounced around potential neighbourhoods.

 

$69.4M+ $12M + $20.6M + $2.3M (+ $?M) = $104M  

 

Did we expect anything less from our CoV Council.  It was bound to be another Johnson Street Bridge fiasco but this time they failed without lifting a finger.

[aastra]

 

....that's an extra $20.6M

 

I almost hate to mention it, but I'm pretty sure some insightful forumer here once suggested building a smaller neighbourhood-sized facility somewhere in the CoV. Such a facility would have cost somewhere in the ballpark of ~$25 million.

[spanky123]

I almost hate to mention it, but I'm pretty sure some insightful forumer here once suggested building a smaller neighbourhood-sized facility somewhere in the CoV. Such a facility would have cost somewhere in the ballpark of ~$25 million.

 

I don't think that anyone believes that the same pool proposed two years ago is now $20M more expensive to build. It was a number fabricated to try and establish a sense of urgency in order to get the pool funded and past a referendum. Since that plan feel through they will make up a new number based on what the need is at the time.

[On the Level]

I don't think that anyone believes that the same pool proposed two years ago is now $20M more expensive to build. It was a number fabricated to try and establish a sense of urgency in order to get the pool funded and past a referendum. Since that plan feel through they will make up a new number based on what the need is at the time.

 

It was "The Grumpy Taxpayers" that exposed the estimate increase.....  

 

 

surveyors Advicas Group Consultants and Ross Templeton Associates have said the current design could add $8.8 million to $11.1 million to the $35.1-million estimate.

 

Advicas estimated the design would cost $43.9 million to build, and Ross Templeton said it would cost $46.2 million.

 

Mayor and council talk about a $70-million pool budget. The administration talks about as much as $80 million. The Grumpys figure it’s probably closer to $90 million

Edited by On the Level, 13 July 2020 - 05:21 AM.

[spanky123]

^I realize that is the number the City gave and the Grumpiest accurately reported on it, just saying the number was made up by the City to try and get support for a referendum.

Does anyone think it costs 30% more then it did two years ago to build a house?

[Victoria Watcher]

Staff are currently focusing on increasing opportunities for the community at the City’s outdoor recreation facilities, such as playgrounds, sports fields and Royal Athletic Park.  

Under the new plan, the Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre is expected to reopen in January 2021. Staff are using time during the pool closure to complete planned repairs to the air handling system. This work was originally to take place in 2021. However, preliminary testing identified the need to do repairs sooner, so the work will take place this fall and is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. 

 

https://www.victoria...recreation.html

 

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 July 2020 - 07:39 AM.

[Rob Randall]

If we replaced the Crystal 13 years ago when this thread was started it would still be due for a major refit so I guess it's a wash either way.

[A Girl is No one]

If we replaced the Crystal 13 years ago when this thread was started it would still be due for a major refit so I guess it's a wash either way.

That’s my approach to house cleaning!