Museum-at-convent costs ballooning

It seems bids to convert the old Loretto Convent into the city's new civic museum are coming in significantly over budget.

Like, about $2 million over.

The city is looking at ways to modify the plan to bring it within budget so it does not lose about $6 million in provincial and federal funding, which is largely dependent on significant progress having been made on the project by next spring.

We'll have more in the paper tomorrow.

Comments

[K Morant]

"Museum-at-convent costs ballooning" Bwwwahahahaaha. This is news? We knew this was gonna be the case for a long time.

Hey, listen to this. I have a great idea of how to get this back under budget. Lets just can the whole thing. Most voters aren't gonna miss it anyhow. They'd rather the money be spent on something they'll actually use like a new South End Rec Centre.

Honestly, I don't know a single person who wants this museum. Time to Axe this project.

[Bill D.]

Sorry K - I know lots of people in the city who want this. Just because you don't use the museum doesn't mean that there is not a need for this ammenity in our city. I live in the north end so I don't plan to use the south end rec centre, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have one. The museum has been stuffed to the rafters for years. Busloads of school children are there every week. The convent is the perfect site, reuse of a beautiful building and next to a prime tourism site of the Church. More visitors for the church and vice versa. It's going to be a fabulous facility. I hope though, that the city can get the tenders down. Perhaps some of the features could be scaled down to budget. I would hate to see the $6 million grants at risk.

[Dave Sills]

I'm 100% behind the conversion. Every project seems to go somewhat over budget, even in the private sector. Let's get this done ASAP!

[blah blah]

the last I heard the city "tender process" involved offering the contract to one chosen company at any price. Appalling.

Dave... Every project does not go over budget in the private sector. The private sector must be financially responsible or the company ceases to exist. If every general contractor operated like the city does, our economy would have been in a tailspin decades ago. I do agree with you regarding municipal projects. Have we seen one come in under budget? It's not as important to them as they can just keep raising taxes to cover their mistakes. The next generation can worry about it.