Final Designs and Funding Applications Underway Main Branch Library Project Update:

By Chris Whelan

Brant County's Main Branch Library project took a significant step forward as the Administration and Operations Committee received an updated report on June 18, 2024. The report, compiled by Mark Maxwell, Director of Engineering and Infrastructure Planning, outlined the progress made in the project and presented a Class C cost estimate. The committee was urged to approve the recommendations and provide further direction for the project.

Under the recommendation, the committee was asked to receive the project updates presented in the report as information Additionally, they were requested to direct staff to finalize detailed designs and issue tender documents, beginning with the heritage restoration work. Furthermore, the committee was urged to instruct staff to prepare an application for the Federation of

Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Green Municipal Fund grant, targeting the most preferred project candidate determined by the council.

The Main Branch Library project aligns with the county's Strategic Priority 4 of Reliable Infrastructure and Strategic Priority 5 of Healthy, Safe, and Engaged Citizens The report highlighted the social, environmental, and economic impacts of the project, emphasizing the anticipated benefits and the focus on environmental sustainability in the design and construction processes.

Collaborative

Structures Limited (CSL) provided a detailed Class C construction cost estimate, totaling $36.2 million, which includes contingencies for design, construction, and restoration The overall project cost was updated to approximately $41.1 million, considering the latest construction cost estimate and additional items not accounted for in the previous estimate.

To fund the project, the county plans to utilize development charges, federal/provincial grants, fundraising efforts, and the general tax levy. The report emphasized the importance of debenturing the majority of the capital costs and acknowledged the need to include annual financing costs in the financial planning.

The report also provided an overview of the project's background, including the previous Class D cost estimate and the purpose of the report It further detailed the Class C construction cost estimate prepared by CSL, outlining the major components and their associated costs. The overall project cost estimate was presented, incorporating various expenses such as land purchase, demolition, construction estimate, design fees, and more.

Regarding project funding, the report highlighted the exploration of the FCM Green Municipal Fund grant availability and the need to select the most qualified project for consideration. The Main Branch Library project was compared to the North Paris Fire Hall project, discussing the respective qualifications and challenges.

Continued on page 13