NORTH BATTLEFORD - North Battleford City Council has voted in favour of awarding the tender for replacement of two sections of the Co-op Aquatic Centre roof.
The tender goes to Century Roofing and Sheet Metal Limited in the amount of $1,310,598.84 with PST included. That decision was made unanimously by council at their special meeting held over the Zoom platform on Tuesday.
The project had been included in the budget at $1.2 million; the remaining shortfall amount will be funding from the gas tax.
According to James Johansen, Director of Engineering, Planning, Asset Management and Infrastructure, the Co-op Aquatic Centre was completed in 2013 with a flat roof which was expected to have a lifespan of 15 years.
In 2019 a roof condition assessment was completed by RMIS Engineering, who identified repairs to extend the current life expectancy of the roof, as well as areas of major concern.
Two sections of the roof were identified as in need of "replacement, not repair." One was located over the lazy river portion of the pool, while the other is a smaller area located over the pool lobby and former café area.
Replacement will mean removing the entire roof membrane and insulation under it, down to the roof deck.
Johansen said repairs had been made to the remainder of the roof deck in 2022, with the expectation this would extend the life of these areas to at least 2028.
However, the report before council outlined a number of issues identified. It was noted the current condition of the roof is "very poor" with insulation under the roof having become saturated. There was a small risk the roof could have structural issues if a large snow load plus the weight of water in the saturated insulation happens during the winter.
The plan is for Century Roofing to start the pool roof replacement in September. It will start by tarping off the roof inside the aquatic centre during the pool's usual shutdown period at the end of August.
The intention is for the roof work to be done by the end of December, dependent on the weather. There is a 15-year manufacturer's warranty for the roof.
When asked by Mayor David Gillan if it was common for roofing work to be done during that time of year, Johansen said he has seen roofing work done during the winter.
"I don't think it's the most desirable time of year to be doing roofing," Johansen added. However, he did say there were no concerns raised by the contractor or consultant other than potential weather delays.
The Aquatic Centre building itself has seen a number of issues over the years, including having to address a problem with the building envelope that saw humidity issues in the structure.
When asked by Gillan whether that has sped up the issues with the roof, Johansen said nobody has identified the root cause, but he indicated he had similar concerns and asked questions of the consultant about it.
"I do know a couple of things they are trying to do up there that are hoping to make it less of a problem and last longer," said Johansen.
City Manager Randy Patrick added he wanted to bring a request to council during the budget process to have the ability to bring someone in who can help determine what to do on maintenance to increase the lifespan of the Aquatic Centre and the city's other roofs.
"With the costs of roofs, if we can spend a little money on the front end to make sure that we're maintaining them the best way possible, I think that makes some sense to me," said Patrick.
More discussion on that will take place during the budget process happening later this year.
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