The work is steadily continuing on the Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex located on the north end of the Fairgrounds.
City council awarded another rink contract, contract number 1220-030-2021-046, to Graham Construction and Engineering LP Feb. 13. The contract is worth just over $9 million and is for the civil, formwork, reinforcement steel, and concrete supply for the new rink.The $9,145,862 contract will have a $10.5 million expenditure limit.
“Graham’s performance on the work awarded to date has been satisfactory, and it is now recommended that this contract be awarded to Graham Construction and Engineering LP,” Jeff Arason, acting GM for the city’s planning and development department, wrote in a corporate report recommending approval.
Arason said Graham Construction issued phased pre-qualification processes for the project “to prequalify” trade contractors for the main work of the arena.
“The work of each trade is being tendered separately with the intention of selecting the lowest quote for each element of the work and combining them under one general contract that would then be assigned to Graham Construction and Engineering LP as the general contractor for construction of the Project,” Arason explained.
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In “Appendix I” of the corporate report, all of the submitted “compliant bids” from trade contractors are listed. (This can be found by going to surrey.ca, clicking on “City Government” from the menu box, then clicking on “Council Meetings,” and then clicking on “Corporate Reports” in the left-hand column.)
“In each case, the bidder providing the lowest quotation that fully meets the specifications of the related work is being awarded that element of work,” Arason wrote.
City council awarded Graham Construction and Engineering a $13.4 million contract for “early works and pre-engineered metal building structure” in July, 2022, and another contract for $3.1 million in December, 2022, for “the supply and installation of piles foundation.”
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During the discussion at council Feb. 13, before the vote of approval, councillor Harry Bains said the ice complex was a great venue and he was excited when he actually saw construction begin. He added the project should never have been shelved in the first place.
“Had this project not been stopped, we’d likely have kids skating on it today,” he remarked. “And it likely would have cost a lot less than it’s going to cost us now. That being said, I’m so happy to see that we’re finally proceeding with this.”
Councillor Rob Stutt said the rink’s completion was overdue. “It will relieve a lot of burden to our sporting community.”
Cloverdale resident and city councillor Mike Bose said he played in the second-ever game at the Cloverdale Arena when The Barn opened more than 50 years ago.
“We started playing there anticipating a second rink – that was 1972,” he said. “It is so nice Cloverdale will now have a second facility so that more kids can play hockey and figure skate.”
Mayor Brenda Locke said she was thrilled the arena project was finally underway. “I’m looking forward to the third sheet, so fingers crossed we’ll get there.”
The new ice complex will feature two National Hockey League-sized sheets with spectator seating of 400 (200 per rink). The rink will feature a variety of non-sport spaces such as: multi-purpose rooms, community rooms, meeting rooms, along with the requisite number of officials’ rooms and change rooms.
“The project will offer various programs including ice hockey, figure skating, public lessons, skating sessions, and dry-floor summer use for sports, such as lacrosse and ball hockey,” according to the report. “The project will be energy efficient and designed to meet the highest engineering and accessibility standards.”
The report also revealed the rink project is being designed “to accommodate the future addition of a third National Hockey League-sized arena, officials’ rooms and change rooms,” in the future and that these are “under consideration,” and will be contingent upon approval in the 2023 budget.
The rink project also includes a new extension of 177B Street south of 64 Avenue, which has already been completed, with upgrades scheduled for 62 Avenue and the Agriplex parking lot. A new parking lot for 160 cars will also be built at the arena.
Construction of the twin rinks began in August, 2022, and they are expected to open for the start of the hockey season in 2024.
The Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex was included in the 2021 Five-Year (2021-2025) Capital Financial Plan.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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