Surprise construction costs blow new Vernon sports track budget

March 02, 2015 - 4:42 PM By Charlotte Helston INFO-TEL Multimedia
VERNON - Unexpected costs mean Vernon’s new sports track is more than three quarters of a million dollars over budget. But taxpayers shouldn’t worry about the $790,000 overrun, says Greater Vernon director Mike Macnabb. The extra funding is expected to be recovered through reserves and donations. “We have a very aggressive plan to get some contributions from various sports groups,” Macnabb says. “Also, we have gone forward with a proposal for naming rights.” The $7.5 million facility as a whole will be called the Greater Vernon Athletic Park, but naming rights will be available for individual pieces like the track itself, or the stands. A big reason the cost is so much higher than anticipated is due to a surprise finding in the soil. Initial test holes missed a large clay deposit in a corner of the site which later had to be dug out and filled in with new material. Other factors that played into the unforeseen costs were the plummeting Canadian dollar, and difficulty finding workers due to competition with the Alberta oil patch. Certain features of the facility were cut — such as showers in the change rooms — to keep costs down. Those, and other additions, can be added in the future, Macnabb says. Construction is expected to wrap up in June, but Macnabb says the facility won’t be used for any big events for awhile. “We’d like to run a full year just using it and making sure everything is up to snuff, then go hard at trying to get competitions like the Seniors Games to come to Vernon,” Macnabb says. “The facility itself is going to be a huge asset to the community.”
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Running track over budget
by Kevin Rothwell CASTANET - Mar 2, 2015 / 6:00 pm

Budget cuts are being made to the newest Greater Vernon sports facility in an effort to rein in spiralling costs. The new football/soccer field and running track under construction next to Okanagan College, budgeted for $7.5 million, is nearly $800,000 over budget. Despite extensive soil testing, a patch of clay in the northwest corner of the facility was missed, resulting in removal and replacement costs. Materials and labour costs also increased as a result of Alberta oilpatch demand for skilled workers. To reduce costs, the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee has decided athlete showers aren’t necessary. Also, taxes are being used to acquire a turf maintenance machine, rolling covers, soccer goals, players and coach’s benches and hurdles. The clay remediation and additional building costs will be covered from reserves and user groups are being asked to step up as well to provide funds for additional amenities. The company installing the bleachers is booked up for the Pan Am Games and may not have the seating in place by the June 15 deadline, but the facility is still scheduled for a ribbon cutting in late June.