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White Rock parkade contract awarded

Cost of four-level waterfront structure projected at $10.3 million
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Some 50 White Rock residents protested outside city hall last July against the planned waterfront parkade. (File photo)

White Rock council has voted to award the first contract for construction of the city’s controversial waterfront parkade.

At Monday’s (Jan. 29) meeting, council voted 6-1 to award the first tender package to Jacob Bros. Construction Inc. at the bid price of $4,153,077 (excluding GST).

The sole contrary vote was cast by Coun. David Chesney.

There was no discussion of the contract award, recommended in a written report to council by engineering and municipal operations director Jim Gordon.

According to that report, the bid covers excavation, shoring concrete works and civil works for the four-storey parkade at Victoria Avenue and Vidal Street, including demolition of the residence at 1156 Vidal St. and a minor retaining wall.

Gordon said the intention is to issue a second tender package, valued at some $2 million, to the successful bidding company, which would secure quotes from and oversee work by subcontractors and suppliers. The second package would cover mechanical and electrical work, facade, finishes and landscaping.

Total projected cost for the parkade, including design, permits and off-site services upgrades, is $10,353,077.

The project, identified as one of council’s corporate priorities for 2014-2018 – and initially discussed in a series of design options ranging from four to six levels – was met with bitter opposition from area residents, some 50 of whom protested on the city hall lawn last July.

Among objections voiced were that the parkade would block views and impinge on privacy, that it would create traffic and emergency-access issues, that nearby condo owners had not been consulted, and that the structure would be under-used in off-season months and would provide a haven for petty crime and vandalism.

Council nonetheless endorsed a four-level option in a finance and audit committee meeting on Nov. 6, 2017, at which time the budgeted cost was $12.5 million.