The reconstruction of the aquatic centre at Minoru Park is “on schedule” said the City of Richmond – three years after it was originally supposed to open.
The Minoru Centre for Active Living – which is the subject of multiple lawsuits between the city, the construction company Stuart Olson and several subcontractors – was originally supposed to open in 2017.
The seniors centre finally opened in spring 2019 at which time a crack in one of the lap pools was found, and the entire aquatic centre – as well as the fitness centre – remained shuttered.
The city announced on Tuesday that the rehabilitation work for the lap pool, being done by Omicron Construction, is on schedule for a fall opening and on budget.
It’s expected to cost about $3 million and will be paid for by Stuart Olson’s insurance company.
This was determined after an “extensive investigation that identified poor workmanship as the cause of the pool failure,” according to the city.
Robertson Construction, a subcontractor working on the walls and ceilings of the Minoru centre, is one of the companies suing Stuart Olson because of the delays. Stuart Olson has named the City of Richmond as a third party in causing delays and further expenses. In its response, the city claims the lap pool failed because of poor installation of a section of piping and incorrectly installed water stop flanges.
Omicron is currently finishing the pool’s concrete base slab. Once the slab has cured and dried to the required moisture level, a waterproof membrane will be installed and tiling of the lap pool will be installed.
Delays in the construction schedule are cited in the multiple lawsuits and counter-claims, with Stuart Olson suing the city for $7.04 million, claiming it caused delays by providing “error-filled and complete” designs and making changes beyond what was reasonable.
The city has yet to respond to the lawsuit launched by Stuart Olson in February, but, in a press release, they claim the delays in construction are not the city’s fault, and that the legal action won’t have an impact on the repair schedule.
None of the allegations of these lawsuits have been proven in court.
The aquatic centre is scheduled to open in the fall. The fitness centre opened on Jan. 1.
