Rocky ground pushes Paradise project over budget

By Mark Squibb

As anyone who has had to dig will tell you, the ground here is full of rocks, and that rocky ground has pushed one Paradise project over budget.

This past summer, council awarded a contract to Callixas Services Ltd., in the amount of $339,186 to develop a community space at 20 Trenton Drive.

The space will boast an asphalt walkway, picnic tables, covered shelter, and multi sport court.
Construction started near the end of September, and the contractor has since discovered pockets of bedrock that will negatively impact the concrete foundation and submitted a quote to drill and bust the bedrock as needed for an extra $9,188, HST included.

“Given the nature of the bedrock, the contractor does not have any alternative options,” said infrastructure committee lead councillor Erin Furlong. “During the time of the tender, the extent of the bedrock was unknown. If a geotechnical investigation to identify rock was conducted prior to tender it would have cost the project approximately $5,000 to $10,000, and driven the tender results up to include drilling and busting.”

The Town had budgeted $300,000 for the project and secured Canada Community Building Fund (CCBF) money to cover the contract cost.

Approval of the extra cost would push the project over budget, and Furlong said a motion to submit a revised funding request will be tabled at a future meeting.