Construction crews will be working through the holiday season to ensure the consolidated courthouse meets its 2013 deadline.
Crews were up and working by 7 a.m. Wednesday as they continued to work toward this target. Graeme Silvera, vice-president with Plenary Justice, said it is what they have to do to ensure they meet their fall 2013 deadline.
“We’re on schedule for a Sept. 1, 2013 finish,” Silvera said on Wednesday.
“I don’t think they will be giving any of these guys any holidays. They obviously have a very difficult schedule to meet to finish this courthouse. We have about 22 months left before opening so it’s going to be pretty intense. I really feel for these guys working in this weather and starting at 7 a.m. every morning.”
Construction for the courthouse started in January 2010 with a total cost for the project at $148.9 million. Silvera said the courthouse, which will replace the Arthur Street Ontario Court of Justice and the Camelot Street Superior Court of Justice, would deliver efficient justice to the city.
Silvera added that the colder temperatures wouldn’t be a problem for continued construction, and said he didn’t expect any complications.
“We now have the steel erected and pretty much all of the stair cores and the elevator shafts completed,” he said.
“The part of the reason we decided to use steel was it can be constructed and built over the winter with minimal delays. There isn’t a lot of concrete to be poured. We don’t anticipate any delays.”
Silvera added that they were going to be in Thunder Bay for the next couple of days to give an update to the courthouse.
