THUNDER BAY -- Changes are coming to city council Monday night.
Administration is requesting an additional $1million be budgeted towards Phase 3 of the event and convention centre study, necessary to have the project “shovel or project ready for funding applications to the federal and provincial governments in September.”
The cost includes nearly $400,000 towards design fees and costs related to the hydro substation on Camelot Street.
It also includes close to $240,000 towards areas such as environmental assessments, a geotechnical study, survey of the proposed site and additional parking and traffic studies.
The proposed switch to on-street surface parking created the need for further examination to determine the implications.
Other costs include a little more than $220,000 for an owner’s representative as well as about $175,000 in legal fees involving the letter of intent with Thunder Bay LIVE!
If approved, the increase would bring the cost of Phase 3 to $2.9 million and the total of all phases to $3.8 million, including funds received from FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.
Also Monday council will be presented a report on future recommendations for the Fort William Gardens. If the city does build an event centre, the report states that the ice surface and seating at the Gardens should be removed to make the space more flexible.
If the recommendations were followed, the building could see around $10 million in upgrades including an all-purpose sports floor, a walking track and retractable bleachers.
Council will also be asked to approve $2.2 million to Nadine Contracting for the first phase of the city's May Street reconstruction.
