North Battleford is going ahead with underground pipe and asphalt replacement work for 2020 in the face of COVID-19.
Council voted to award the underground utilities contract for their 2020 Capital Works Projects at their Monday council meeting. The winning bid went to Sanburn Construction Ltd. of Battleford, whose price came in at $1,144,676.51.
That low bid bested those of Unicon Pipeline Ltd. of North Battleford and Rusway Construction Ltd. of Lloydminster. Their winning bid came in 28 per cent under the $1.6 million that was budgeted, and the bid for the 100th Street portion of the work alone came in 47 per cent below budget, at $398,063 compared to $750,000.
The schedule of projects includes the 100th Street rehab from 12th to 14th Ave., the 95th Street rehab from 15th to 16th Ave., 110th Street from 8th to 9th Ave., 101st Street from 19th to 20th Ave., the improvements to Carlton Trail, work at Waste Water Treatment Plant Septage Receiving Station and the Hydrant Replacement Program.
There was some discussion expressed at Monday’s meeting about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic situation on the work for this year.
Councillor Kelli Hawtin suggested pushing back the decision to the next meeting, noting a number of businesses had to shut down due to COVID-19. She suggested consulting with them further before a decision was made.
Mayor Ryan Bater pointed to the economic benefit of proceeding with the work.
“Most cities in Saskatchewan are planning to do their summer construction schedule,” said Bater. “It’s generally viewed as a very strong way to inject some activity in the local economy as well.”
He also said this work was necessary work, and echoed the sentiment of other councillors that the pricing was simply too good for council to turn down.
“The pricing that we’ve been presented tonight might not be the pricing that’s received for next year,” said Bater.
He also said he had spoken to people in the business community and noted there were “a lot of voices wanting to see the city do what it can for the local economy in terms of construction and generating what business activity it can.”
Councillor Greg Lightfoot was in favour of going ahead with a decision Monday. He said that if the 100th Street work was removed from the contract following consultations with businesses, “this would have to be repriced,” he said. He worried that would put the companies putting bids in “into a real bind.”
In the end council moved ahead with awarding the contract at the meeting.
