Community Centre project reaches another milestone

Bowen Island Municipality is pleased to announce that the tendering package for the Community Centre project was released on June 17, beginning a five-week competitive bidding process on the open market. A non-mandatory site walk-through was hosted on June 24, with seven contractors in attendance.

This is a key milestone in the development of a Community Centre for Bowen Island. It has been reached following careful and considered design work by the project management team to maximize efficiency of the building while keeping estimated costs within budget.

Through more detailed design work, construction plans were revised and approved to accommodate an increase of approximately 1,300 square feet to the originally designed 16,400 square-foot building. This was required to meet changes in the building code, accessibility and other specifications of the federal/provincial funding program, to fulfill current and future needs and improved operational efficiencies in the Municipal Hall, and as a result of considerations for air circulation and workspace provisions that arose in response to the pandemic.

Cost savings are being focused on areas of the facility that have the lowest amount of public use, such as the Municipal Hall offices, in an effort to ensure highest value can be achieved in the areas that will receive highest public use.

Meanwhile, fundraising continues for components of the project. There are still opportunities to sponsor a seat in the large multi-purpose room for $2,500, which includes a plaque engraved with the donor’s name. All gifts will receive a tax receipt. Donate now

Following a competitive bidding process, the project team will be seeking Council approval to award a contract in August 2021. Construction could potentially begin in the fall of 2021 with a projected completion and grand opening in the summer of 2023.

Tendering documents are available to bidders on the BC Bid website.