The seismic upgrades on the Machine Shop are nearly complete, and the Town of Ladysmith is now seeking additional funds for work that still needs to be completed.
According to a staff report, structural, electrical, mechanical, exterior boardwalk, and some infrastructure upgrades are necessary to safely allow users to occupy the Machine Shop.
The Town will seek grant funding for the Machine Shop Rehabilitation Phase 2 for $3,114,611 through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program; and will commit to its share of the project for $1,132,779 with the funds to come from the Real Property Reserve and General Government Reserves.
Phase two will address all the safety and thermal deficiencies of the building that were not addressed with the previous funding of $1.8 million due to extensive upgrades to the foundation and structure of the building.
RELATED: Machine Shop improvements progressing despite unexpected challenges
Early budgets for the Machine Shop were based on the building having a ‘competent’ foundation. When contractors began work on the foundation, they discovered that the timber piles that supported the building were rotten, and the solid bedrock was between five to eight feet deep, much further than originally assessed. To address these challenges, an entirely new foundation of reinforced concrete was created.
In order to meet current building code compliance and occupancy standards, a number of items in the building envelope, structure, and electrical system must be addressed.
Grant funding is necessary to complete the next phase of Machine Shop upgrades.