Construction of a West Kelowna soccer dome has started and will cost four times what this Kelowna dome cost six years ago.

Image Credit: KelownaUnited.com

WEST KELOWNA - A new inflatable sports dome, originally budgeted at $1 million, paid for mostly by donations, is now expected to cost $4.1 million, according to the City of West Kelowna.

That’s up from the $3.8 million budget set a year ago and four times the $1 million estimate from two years ago.

Determining actual costs for the project is confusing. Earlier this month, a figure of $3.5 million was used, but that's how much local taxpayers will contribute, once $600,000 in funds raised by Westside Youth Soccer is budgeted. City officials confirmed to iNFOnews.ca the $4.1 million figure.

Last week, council was asked to increase the budget by almost $300,000 in order for the construction contract to be awarded. The report to council said the bid “was below the City’s estimated value.”

That’s quite a lot higher than other inflatable domes, such as the Kelowna United dome, erected for roughly $1 million.

Though that was one of the early justifications for pursuing the West Kelowna soccer dome, staff realized pretty early the two projects can’t compare.

Mark Roberts, who’s been spearheading the project, says the Kelowna United dome is on flat land next to the H2O centre, got $500,000 worth of in-kind donations and was site-ready with water and electrical services, a parking lot and washrooms.

The West Kelowna dome, destined for McDougall Road, is rough land that needs grading. It includes hills that make a paved roadway more sensible than gravel. It needs a parking lot, water and electrical lines brought in and it needs a stand-alone washroom. Also add in six years worth of inflation.

All of those things add costs that were not faced by Kelowna United, Roberts explained.

TIMELINE

1999 – Westside Youth Soccer Association started raising money, initially for washrooms.

2015 – The association had raised $250,000, knew the city was short of land and offered to build an all-weather soccer field and add on a retractable dome if funding could be secured. The club eventually got a $450,000 cheque from the provincial government.

2016 – in a letter to then-Mayor Doug Findlater, the club offered the money. It included an estimate for the turf at $150,000 and the dome at $450,000. They asked the city to provide the land and site servicing.

Jan. 24, 2017 – council agreed to proceed with the project at an estimated cost of $1 million. Roberts said that figure dated back to a 2010 Parks plan and was a rough guess. He called it a “place holder” figure for future discussion.

March 30, 2017 – the club received the $450,000 cheque from then premier and Kelowna West MLA Christy Clark.

Fall 2017 – The City bought land near Mar Jok Elementary School on McDougall Road for $400,000.

Dec. 4, 2017 –  A report to council estimated the cost at $2.5 million.

Jan. 17, 2018 – The budget grew to $3.8 million.

Jan. 17, 2019 – Staff secured a price guarantee for the turf and dome. This was followed by calling a tender for the construction on the project, which required the successful bidder to buy the turf and dome at those prices from those suppliers.

March 26, 2019 – TKI Construction was the low bidder for the construction contract at just over $3 million. That was lower than the overall expected cost but only included a six per cent contingency. City staff felt it would be safer to have a 15 per cent contingency so the project didn’t get delayed waiting for a council meeting if there were unforeseen costs. Council, therefore, approved a $262,000 increase to the budget.

This boosted the total budget to $4.1 million. If no contingency funds end up being needed, the final cost could be about $3.6 million.

COST BREAKDOWN

$105,830 - Conceptual design

$243,723 - Detailed design, tender services, contract administration, etc.

$228,726 - Building permit, development cost charges, rezoning, etc.

$808,750 - Dome structure (material and delivery)

$216,378 - Turf (material and delivery)

$155,641 - Site servicing and grading

$322,404 - Roads, parking lots, sidewalks

$230,081 - Utilities (plumbing, electrical, lighting, water, sewer, etc.)

$393,547 - Installation of dome, turf, preparing sub-grade, field drainage, etc.

$290,688 - Washroom

$354,003 - Foundation

$70,282 - Retaining, fences and gates

$243,331 - Landscaping, site furnishings, irrigation

$462,766 - Construction contingency

$4,126,150 - TOTAL

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