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Company hired to finish Paradise roundabout sculpture

By Mark Squibb/August 12, 2022

Heads were turning in Paradise back in February when a mysterious, blue, skeletal structure appeared in the McNamara Roundabout, seemingly overnight.

Though many folks had an opinion as to what the strange, metal structure best resembled, it was intended as a replica of former town landmark Octagon Castle, a restaurant, hotel, and gallery that burned to the ground in 1915.

The structure may look truer to it’s intended purpose in the coming weeks, as the Town has hired a landscaping company to do some $37,000 worth or work.

During the last meeting, councillor Larry Vaters explained that a limited call was put out to four qualified landscaping companies for the supply and installation of the structure according to the design previously completed by Mills & Wright.

Of the four, only O’Neil’s Landscaping responded, providing a price of $37,000, Including HST.

Vaters said the tender call had a pre-tender estimate of $42,500, including HST, meaning that the tendered price was over $5,500 lower than the pre-tender estimate. The design and installation of the landscaping project had a $50,000 budget. The roundabout feature, all told, comes with a total price tag of $190,000 cost-shared 50/50 with the federal government.

Councillor Glen Carew asked whether the landscaping cost was included in that $190,000 price tag.

Vaters said that he did not have that information on hand, but would follow up with staff.

Mayor Dan Bobbett said he was “pretty sure” it was, but that staff would provide a more definite answer.

Vaters said the feature was designed to serve as a welcoming focal point at one of the community’s busiest intersections.

Construction of the feature began in early December, and had initially been slated to be completed within a few weeks.

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