August 10th Council Meeting - Wilmot Recreation Complex Phase II is kicking off...

The opportunity that Wilmot has been given to build Phase II of our Wilmot Recreation Complex is a gift not to be taken lightly.
Phase II, including an aquatics centre, Youth centre, indoor walking track and Seniors centre will cost just over $9,000,000.00 and thanks to Federal and Provincial funding as well as sound financial planning on behalf of Wilmot Council and staff, it will be built without debenturing or having to increase tax revenues.

At the Budget Ad-Hoc meeting on August 10th, there was a discussion over whether or not to re-hire our Project Manager from Phase I and the Grandstand projects. Over the years, Wilmot has built a good working relationship with this management team - and most importantly the project management team provides a consistent and reliable service which is below costs compared to others in the industry. There is certain perceptions about deficiencies with these buildings, many of which I do not share.

The debate at Council is not about whether or not to tender for the service; the debate is about whether or not Council has faith and confidence in the project management team. As a steward of the Township, when embarking on a $9,000,000.00 project I do not want a Project Manager promising to deliver on something and cutting corners and sacrificing quality to make it happen; I want a Project Manager who has the professionalism and courtesy to say to me that the project is at risk or timelines are delayed due to certain specific and valid reasons. That way, I can work with the PM to identify risks, challenges and mitigation strategies instead of forcing them to a schedule that can jeopardize the entire project. I feel with our PM we have this type of reliable team on board to help Wilmot realize the dream of Phase II in a timely yet efficient and open manner.