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General Contractors shortlisted for construction of new recreation centre

General Contractors shortlisted for construction of new recreation centre
Plans for the new Aquatic and Arena Recreation Centre (Submitted by the City of Prince Albert)

Three General Contractors have been shortlisted in the pre-qualification stage of the tender to build the City of Prince Albert’s new Aquatic and Arena Recreation Centre. 

Graham Construction, PCL Construction, and Wright Construction are the three shortlisted firms. All companies have extensive experience in large scale recreation construction projects. 

The prequalification process is used to give companies an opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications to complete a project of this size, complexity and cost.

“It’s good to see we have a group of highly qualified and reputable companies interested. Choosing a qualified contractor is a critical part of this project,” said Wes Hicks, Director of Public Works for the City of Prince Albert. “There’s always going to be some challenges with a project this size, but an experienced contractor has an understanding of the timelines, costs, supply of materials, access to manpower and equipment and the proper insurance and bonding. In the long run this helps us avoid costly interruptions.”

Project architects have prepared 366 drawings and 1,617 pages of specifications that cover elements of civil, landscaping, structural, mechanical, electrical, and controls for the new facility. 

An 85 per cent review of the drawings, including comments regarding municipal bylaw; building code requirements; operational and maintenance considerations; engineering design; and product selection, was completed by City Administration in early February. 

A 95 per review was completed in March. 

The next step in the process will be the submission of comments on the drawings from the general contractors. 

“Given supply chain issues these days, we are inviting the contractors to share with us any issues they see with the materials chosen for the facility,” said Hicks. “We’d like to be sure this is given that consideration early so it’s considered in the final tender prices.”

Final pricing and tender packages from the three shortlisted companies, as well as a final review, summary, and recommendation from the architects to City Council is expected in April. 

Local businesses will be involved as subcontractors for the new recreation centre project. 

Construction is expected to start this spring, with the facility opening in 2024.