Airdrie City council has approved a new budget for the development of a new library, adding an additional $12 million to the total cost of the project.
Michelle Lock, director of community services with the City of Airdrie, provided an update on the library project at the Oct. 4 council meeting. Lock told council the previous budget of $50,650,185 was based on a 2018 study, and was an accurate representation of what the project would have cost had it been done back then.
According to Lock, the previous budget was based on a facility consisting of a library of 50,000 square feet and a multi-use space of 25,000 square feet, for a total facility size of 75,000 square feet. The venue was to be distributed over three floors, and include two levels of underground parking.
The increased budget emerged after the May 17 council meeting, according to Lock, when council endorsed a size of 60,000 square feet and a maximum size of 25,000 square feet for the multi-use space, which will house the likes of either a cafe or retail business.
“That was a change from the original project scope,” she said.
As of the Oct. 4 presentation, the project now has a budget scope of $62,703,550. The new budget breakdown consists of $10,231,550 for all the pre-planning project expenses, including (but not limited to) project studies, project management and design, contingency, insurance cost and permits, as well as $52,472,000 for the construction cost, including escalation and construction contingencies.
Chris Monson, a representative with Colliers Project Leaders – the company heading the new library in Airdrie – said the new budget showcases more accurate costs to complete the project.
“We believe that the budget of $62.7 million covers council’s objectives and covers what we are looking for as far as getting out of the library,” he said. “It also takes into consideration escalation.”
Coun. Ron Chapman said he had no issues approving the feasibility report portion of the motion, but he was struggling with the updated budget approval.
“Two weeks from now, this could be a totally different council,” he said. “We have a budget coming up in the fall. I am just curious as to why we are coming forward with this budget now, and how that will be addressed when it gets to the budget in the fall.”
In response, Lucy Wiwcharuk, director of corporate services, said the updated numbers will be included in the upcoming budget.
“The reason that it is in front of you at this point in time, is it is aligned with the process we are walking through with this library project,” she said. “It is this council’s strategy. Unfortunately, COVID-19 derailed some of the timelines around this project. [This] just so happens this is where we are at with this right now.”
Wiwcharuk added council’s approval would keep the project moving forward.
Mayor Peter Brown said the upcoming budget cycle in particular will be more significant than others that have come before council in recent years, as the City will be impacted by the loss of Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding from the Alberta government, as well as increased costs associated with its RCMP contract.
“If the motion is to move forward with this, I will be voting against it,” he said. “I’m not voting against the library at all, I’d prefer to know all the details first before I make a decision. I do not have all of the details.”
The vote to approve the library’s budget update passed 6-1, with Brown providing the only opposing vote.
According to a press release from the Airdrie Public Library’s board of directors issued after the meeting, the approved scope will allow the facility to double its collection from 80,000 to 160,000 items.
“There will be space for a community living room, a separate reading lounge, and a dedicated quiet space for independent reading and study,” the release stated.
The new library, once built, will be housed on Airdrie’s Main Street, at the site of the former Fire Hall.
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
