Timaru Council approves tenders for aquatic centre

Site-clearing machinery could be moving on to the Maori Park site of Timaru's new Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre in early June following the Timaru District Council's approval for an early-works package and the calling of tenders for the aquatic centre's construction.

The approval to call tenders will allow the council to obtain construction costings of the project and a council meeting on 20th July will decide whether those costings were within expectations given the competitive marketplace.

Monday's approval, at a special meeting of the Council, signalled the next phase towards the start of construction work on the site and followed a report by the Council's Chief Executive Warwick Isaacs and District Services Manager Ashley Harper who told councillors that following quantity surveyors' estimates the project was within the original budget, external funding avenues were up to expectations and the centre's business plan had met the stringent operational requirements set for it by the Council.

Harper said the Council's approval was authority to begin the tender process for the main constructional aspects of the works.

However, the building consent for the early-works package, including demolition and site work, has already been approved and the first tender to be let will be for demolition and site preparation work.

The Council meeting decided that the early works were necessary so that tenderers had a clear site on which to base their tenders and to eliminate uncertainty over ground conditions.

Harper said the early-works package would include demolition, services termination, excavation and fencing and a contractor would be appointed in the next few days, stating "we hope to begin that work within the next two weeks.

"Residents will soon see some activity on Maori Park but that will be clearance work, not the start of construction of the new centre per se."

Harper added that the tender process for the main construction work would be robust and thorough, adding "in early June we will be reviewing registrations from contractors who have registered with the council their interest in construction work.

"We will invite a short list of contractors to provide tenders. The council would then choose the successful tenderer on 20th July."

Harper said he was pleased with progress in external funding, concluding "the Caroline Bay Aquatic Supporters Club has raised its original target, and councillors have been briefed on excellent progress on other external funding opportunities to meet the $8 million target."