It’s happening!
You’ve probably heard the fantastic news that we’ll soon be breaking ground to build the long-awaited Community Centre. The Bowen Island Municipality will be awarding a construction contract to Golden Globe Construction Ltd., with the project slated to get underway early in the new year. Council has approved a revised budget of $18.7 M, which includes $14.4 M for construction and $4.3 M for soft costs, including professional fees, contingencies, fixtures & equipment.
Islanders have dreamed about this public amenity, which features dedicated community spaces for recreational and cultural programming, for a very long time. Arriving at this point has been quite a journey, with many bumps in the road. We’ve had to accept the reality of the current economic environment, resulting in costs exceeding the original estimated 2018 budget of $14.5 M. Cost escalation has been driven by a number of factors.
- The footprint of the building has grown, from 16,500 to 19,500 square feet to allow for: improved energy performance, increased accessibility and improved ventilation throughout the facility, to account for much-needed storage space, and to ensure sufficient capacity to meet municipal staffing needs.
- Throughout the global pandemic, the demand for and cost of materials, commodities and labour has risen significantly. Decreased production and supply chain disruption is ongoing across all sectors.
- Bowen, as a small island, faces additional challenges such as increased transportation and logistics of material acquisition and significant labour costs with off-island contractors and workers.
Despite these challenges, the Municipality is excited to be delivering on its commitment to build a gathering place welcoming all islanders to come together, to connect in ways that will increase the sense of community, enhance health and wellness and bolster the quality of life on Bowen.
The gap between the $14.5 M secured and the $18.7 M updated budget will be filled by a number of sources including funding from the COVID-19 Safe Restart grant, the Canadian Heritage Cultural Spaces grant and additional community fundraising set at a target of $1.5 M. That’s in addition to the $1.3 M that was already raised through pledges and donations.
Can you help us reach this new goal?
It’s the season of giving and a perfect time to consider a gift that will help build this community legacy.
Donors who gift $200 or more will receive public acknowledgement on a donor recognition installation in the new building. All donations of $25 or more will receive a tax receipt.
Speaking of gifts, if you are struggling to find something very special for someone very special on your list this festive season, we have a couple of suggestions.
Take a Seat!
Sponsor a seat in the large multi-purpose performing arts space, designed to host theatrical performances, concerts, movies, cultural events, lectures, graduations, town hall meetings, and more. For a donation of $2,500, an engraved name plate will be attached to one of the 180-retractable seats. The plate can include your name, or a dedication in someone else’s name.
Naming Opportunities
Identify a name for a room, space or specialized equipment within the Community Centre. Naming opportunities are available to individuals, families, businesses and organizations, and will be based on the value of the room and equipment as per the Bowen Island Community Centre Donor Recognition and Naming Policy. We would be happy to discuss asset value estimates and see if there is a match for your gift. Please contact Gillian Drake at gdrake@bimbc.ca or 604-803-7143.
To avoid processing fees, we would also welcome a cheque made payable to the Bowen Island Municipality, mailed to:
Bowen Island Municipal Hall
981 Artisan Lane
Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2
(Please note: Municipal Hall will be closed from December 24, 2021 – January 3, 2022.)
