The Regional District of Nanaimo has awarded the Dashwood Fire Hall replacement project contract in an amount of up to $5,859,800 to Saywell Contracting Ltd.
Five tenders were received for the project, with one considered non-compliant. Saywell provided the lowest tender exclusive of refundable taxes.
The project, which was delayed due to COVID-19, resulted in the cost to escalate to $6,462,662 from $4,150,000 in 2019. The latest cost went through another alternative approval process that was again endorsed by the electorate last July to increase the borrowing amount to pay for the project.
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The loan, to be repaid within 25 years, will be finance by taxpayers in the Dashwood fire services region and that includes some communities in Area F, Area G and Area H.
The new fire hall will be built at the same location of the current fire hall, which will be demolished. Temporary operating facilities have been established while the new hall is being built, which will take 20 months, and is expected to be completed in June of 2024.
The design of the fire hall will be the standard for all future fire hall upgrades within the regional district.