The latest budget estimate is in for the Credit Union CUPlex and it pegs the cost of the project at $59,368,168.02.
That number includes $2,827,056.57 in GST, a number the city will eventually see refunded, according to Parks and Recreation Director Keith Anderson.
Anderson submitted the latest budget estimate at Tuesday's city council meeting.
The number is up from an estimated $55,035,227 (w/o GST) submitted at the special meeting in February where council voted to proceed with awarding the tender for the curling rink and field house components of the CUPlex.
However, Anderson notes that figure left out a number of items talked about but not included in that total. Those include $352,756 for the bridging contract with Barr Ryder for the field house and curling rink plus an estimated $45,000 for disbursements, the swimming pool tile costing $1,090,000, $800,000 for theatre fixtures and the five per cent contingency budget, estimated at $2,536,790.45.
That brought the actual original total to $58,556,273.45. Add in $2,927,813.67 for GST and the total comes to $61,484,087.12.
Since then, , Anderson noted a number of cost-savings, due to design changes and order changes, had been found to bring the overall cost down to the $59.3 million total.
Anderson told reporters the budget update was much needed when "all the numbers were fresh in their minds as it's been such a long project getting out of the ground."
During discussion, Councillor Trent Houk noticed a pile of soil was gathering near the site. Anderson noted that pile was deliberately set up during site preparation, as Scott Builders saw it as a way to save money by pushing soil off to the side rather than hauling it to the landfill.
The issue remains on how to dispose of the soil later, however. Houk suggested possibly turning that pile of soil into a toboggan hill on the site, something that might save the city the cost of having to remove it. Mayor Ian Hamilton noted the "nodding heads" on council and suggested the city could take a look into that idea.
