Check out photos and plans of Phase 2 at our blog.

Shovels are expected to hit the dirt at the Wilmot Recreation Complex this week after Wilmot council bit the bullet in a decision to green light the long-awaited build for Phase 2, even after contractor bid prices came in higher than expected.

Coming in at 3.9 per cent above a February budget estimate that included a $1.1 million list of enhancements, the project to build an eight-lane, 25-metre competitive swimming pool, leisure pool, walking track and senior and youth centres will now cost taxpayers $11.6 million.

Initially budgeted at $9.8 million back in May 2009, the cost jumped in recent months as enhancements were added to match stakeholder and community input.

Two major enhancements include a second elevator and wider building footprint to accommodate a wider walking track and wider aisles in the pool’s spectator gallery.

A $160,000 dehumidifier is expected to eliminate chlorine odours in the pool area. Enhanced mechanical and electrical equipment, pool plumbing and design layout, including timber roofing will cost an additional $160,000.

Other enhancements include plastic lockers in the change rooms and track area, acoustical panels for the pool and seating around the pool deck.

Inflationary costs, a hot construction market and the harmonized sales tax are all playing into the higher bid prices for the project.

Councillors were advised in March of a predicted increase in material costs that could push the final tally even higher Tenders closed May 11, giving members of the project team, including township staff, G.B. Architect and Jackson-Barill Management Inc., a month to review bids to ensure they qualified. All of the tenders accepted for the project are from the lowest qualified bidder.

Guy Bellehumeur, of GB Architect Inc., provided council with an outline of reasons why the bids came in at significantly more than cost estimates delivered in February, not the least of which is the amount of federal and provincial infrastructure money flowing into the construction industry.

Bellehumeur said the influx of money means contractors can essentially “cherry pick” the jobs they want while demanding higher fees to do the work.

Bellehumeur said many private-sector projects across the province have closed at more than six per cent higher than initial budget estimates, with some municipalities seeing skyrocketing construction fees.

“Other major pool projects are coming in at eight per cent and 25 per cent over budget,” he said, cautioning council against delaying Phase 2. “We’ll soon be experiencing bids from low quality bidders and trades because all the good ones are busy.

“This project is shovel ready.”

Councillors were offered the alternative options of delaying construction in hopes of getting better bid prices, or slashing the list of enhancements to cut costs.

Bellehumeur urged council to not to entertain the alternatives since most enhancements cannot be added later and there’s no guarantee bid prices will come down.

“We sincerely doubt better pricing would be achieved,” Bellehumeur said.

“This has come to the table after a lot of hard work from members of staff and project team,” commented Mayor Wayne Roth, advising council against considering any option that would delay the project, or reduce the number of added features. “The list of enhancements grew, but I’m very pleased with this list of additions because it makes our pool that much better. If you take these things out, most of them can never be added.”

“I really see the enhancements as an evolution of the whole design anyway,” commented councillor Elliot Fung. “I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t g with Option A. This meets the needs and desires of the people of the township.”

Councillor Les Armstrong agreed. “I’m glad to see we’re ready to go because I think many people are waiting to see this project move ahead.”

Referring to delays that plagued the opening of the twin ice pads in Phase 1, councillor Terry Broda confirmed a timeline of 60 weeks for the project, including time to test the facility’s equipment and ensure the pool’s water quality.

“There are so many things that can go wrong in any project — weather, strikes... We hope for the best and aim for 60 weeks,” Bellehumeur said.

“What steps have we taken to ensure people who have registered for the fall swim programs will be swimming in the new pool?,” Broda asked. “I fear 800 children signing up in the summer and the pool isn’t ready until October.”

Facilities and recreation director Scott Nancekivell said the old pool will remain open until the new facility is ready to accept programs.

“We do have a backup plan,” said Bellehumeur. “We can’t control what happens, but we can control what we do to make sure it doesn’t happen. The manpower and time allotted to make this work the best we can is there.”

Council will receive monthly updates throughout the build and staff will be on site every two weeks to track its progress.

The project is being financed largely through a $6 million grant from the federal and provincial governments’ Building Canada Fund.

Fees collected by the township from new building developments will cover about $1 million of the final cost, while $4.6 million will come from township reserve funds.

“This whole complex, in terms of its utilitarian usage, is going to be a great place for young old and everyone in between,” mayor Roth said, thanking staff and the project team for working well together throughout the planning stages.

“This is a great moment for Wilmot moving forward. We’re going to have a recreation complex that’s going to be the envy of many in the province of Ontario. And it’s been developed at a reasonably low cost compared to others going up.”

“A similar project I’m aware of is running from $11 million to $23 million.”

News of council’s decision to move ahead with the project spread quickly last week.

“We’re all pretty excited,” said Wilmot Aquatic ACES head coach Joni Maerten-Sanders. “Now we can start hosting meets, which will bring in a huge economic impact to the town.”

For years the swim club has struggled to host other swim teams because of a lack of deck space at the community pool. With 75 swimmers and 25 master swimmers sharing only 10 hours of pool time a week, training for meets was difficult.

“We’re swimming with close to 10 kids in a lane,” said Maerten-Sanders. “It puts stress on the kids to train properly.”

The additional lanes at the new aquatic centre will resolve the issue and allow the club to expand.

Rumours of the pool tenders coming in over budget had Maerten- Sanders a little worried construction might be delayed, but she was hopeful council would make the right decision.

“New Hamburg is lucky to have a facility to begin with,” she said, adding the club gets calls from parents in south and west Kitchener looking to join because of a lack of competitive swim clubs in the cities.

She’s hopeful the new Wilmot pool will attract swimmers from a wider geographic area.

On-site work is expected to begin immediately, with an opening date planned for August 2011.