At the June 24 board meeting, the SCRD board adopted a recommendation to fund $154,000 for the Sechelt Aquatic Centre temporary fire protection system through a combination of $26,000 from 2021 tax reallocation, $64,000 from the SCRD’s COVID-19 Safe Restart funds and $64,000 from operating reserves.
The SCRD has $332,000 of its Safe Restart grant unallocated, the staff report states.
After directors voiced concerns about depleting operational reserves to fund the project, the SCRD board voted to invite the District of Sechelt, Town of Gibsons and Sechelt Indian Government District (SIGD) to contribute a proportionate share of $64,000 from Safe Restart funds to offset the SCRD operating reserves portion of the budget.
Shelley Gagnon, the general manager of community services, told the board the temporary system will serve as an interim measure until the aquatic centre’s fire sprinkler system can be fully replaced. The previous budget for the project did not include the temporary system.
In response to a question about keeping the centre open, Gagnon said staff is in conversation with the fire department about safety.
“It is our understanding that the fire department is satisfied with the course of action that we are proposing today,” Gagnon said.
The current system needs to be replaced – about 15 years ahead of schedule – after it sprang a leak and microbiological growth was found inside on the last day of 2020.
Installing a temporary linear heat detection system “provides a fast, accurate and reliable heat sensor for fire detection that will help mitigate risk until the new sprinkler system is installed,” a staff report said. But the current fire alarm system won’t work with the temporary system, and another fire alarm system must be installed. The temporary fire protection system will also have to be removed later when the new sprinkler system is installed.
The decision follows the June 10 infrastructure meeting when directors decided to spread out the complete replacement of the centre’s fire sprinkler system over three years after staff disclosed a project cost more than three times the original estimate.
Next, the project will go out for tender and the board will have to award the contract before the temporary fire protection system is installed in the late summer.
