The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has started the search for companies interested in taking on the Chapman Lake expansion project.
The SCRD has budgeted $5 million for the expansion, which would allow the SCRD to draw more water from the lake during times of extreme drought.
It released a “Request for Pre-Qualifications” (RFPQ) on Nov. 18 which says the SCRD is looking for a company with experience in civil engineering projects that require working in environmentally sensitive areas and remote work camps.
The RFPQ also acknowledges the controversial nature of the project, by including a note that bidding companies should also be able to demonstrate a track record of “Success in dealing with public impact issues including interacting with concerned citizens on the construction site.”
The project has faced staunch opposition from the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association, which commissioned a legal opinion from West Coast Environmental Law. That opinion was released in September, and claimed that giving the SCRD a Park Use Permit for the work could violate the Park Act. (Chapman Lake is in Tetrahedron Provincial Park.)
According to the bid documents, SCRD officials hope to hold a site visit some time during the week of Dec. 19, and choose a successful company in early 2017.
Construction would begin in July of 2017, pending the necessary provincial government approvals.
