Track price tag revealed

Photo: North Okanagan Regional District

The cost of the Greater Vernon Athletics Park, next to Okanagan College's Vernon campus, has been revealed.

While the price is more than $1 million over the original estimate, it is slightly below the amended budget, according to staff at the North Okanagan Regional District.

“The final cost of the facility was $8,588,316,” said Stephen Banmen, NORD's general manager of finance. “The amended budget was $8,605,000.”

A 2013 referendum gave NORD approval to borrow $7.53 million for the project which then suffered cost overruns.

In 2015, a further $735,000 was added to the budget. Later that year, another $340,000 was added to expand the amenities building to include additional shower stalls.

The huge increase in the cost of the track project has been blamed on the “dramatic cost escalation in market conditions for building construction” as well as the unanticipated excavation of poor soils from the north-east corner of property not identified during the original geotechnical analysis and related costs.

“The cost estimates for the construction of the building were completed in 2012, when the building market was competitive," said Banmen. "Over the next couple of years the Okanagan experienced dramatic cost escalation in market conditions which, despite our competitive bidding processes, resulted in higher construction costs for the amenities building."

Banmen also said debt issue costs of $120,480 were not factored into the budget available at that time.

“The project was tendered in stages over 2013 to 2015. In the end, seven major tenders and requests for proposals were awarded for the main components of the project, including design, site grading, civil work, running track, artificial turf field, amenities building and bleachers.”

Some minor work on the site still continues. Due to “a couple of deficiencies” related to the civil works and the running track contracts, the district is holding on to $118,000.

The running track and sports field officially opened to the public last September.

Organized sport has the athletics park booked regularly after 4 p.m. each day, according to NORD staff.

“It is a beautiful facility that provides access to outdoor turf earlier in the season, when the natural fields aren’t ready for use,” said Marina Korberg, executive director of the North Okanagan Youth Soccer Association.

The athletics park is expected to be a key venue when Greater Vernon hosts the BC 55+ (Senior) Games in September 2017.