A THOROUGH update on the timeline and cost for Mount Gambier City Council’s landmark $39.1m Community and Recreation Hub project is expected to be released this month.
Council convened a special council meeting on ednesday night to consider selection of a head contractor for the generational investment, foreshadowing an announcement in weeks as negotiations with a selected tenderer continue.
Council chief executive Andrew Meddle thanked the community for its patience throughout the project’s procurement stage.
“Council appreciates the community is eager to receive an update on the Community and Recreation Hub and the tender evaluation team have been working hard over many months to ensure the procurement process is not compromised,” Mr Meddle said.
“Following the conclusion of the tender process and once a contract has been entered into, council will be in a position to provide the community with a thorough update regarding the project timeframes and cost.”
The update follows more than a year of speculation about the project, after councillors joined Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell and Member for Barker Tony Pasin in turning the first sod back in April last year.
At that time Mayor Lynette Martin indicated the community would not see any major construction works start at the location “for a few months”.
However, it was not until September when six expressions of interest for the build were received from major construction companies.
The tender process then started in late November, with Mr Meddle indicating it would be completed by the end of January with construction to follow shortly after.
However, the tender process was extended, with a briefing about the project expected to be provided to elected members at the end of March.
The procurement stage was delayed further when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared with council shifting its focus to responding to the community’s needs.
“Inevitable delays” followed due to the scale and complexity of the project, which was further hindered by COVID-19.
Mr Meddle said in a council meeting last week the schedule for the build remained on track for the end of 2021 if a contract was entered into by July 16.
