Estevan City Council met to discuss the upcoming upgrades to the HVAC systems at both the Leisure Centre and City Hall. After reviewing tenders from two companies, the council decided to proceed with Mid City Plumbing and Heating for the project.
Chris Dunne, the facilities manager, presented the details of the bids, noting that both companies—Mid City Plumbing and Heating and Black and McDonald—submitted very similar proposals, with one key difference: Mid City came in $100,000 below Black and McDonald’s bid and also met the city’s budget requirements. Black and McDonald’s proposal was $40,000 over budget.
“Based on the packages being very similar, with similar equipment quantities and whatnot, I think it’s an easy decision to work with Mid City on that project,” said Dunne.
Councillor Kirsten Walliser inquired whether the project would adhere to the timeline.
“Yes, both companies were very upfront about needing 4 to 8 weeks just for equipment supply. Both companies were very similar in that regard,” Dunne responded.
The council approved Mid City Plumbing and Heating as the contractor for the project.
Councillor Brian Johnson raised an important concern about safety during construction, particularly regarding asbestos. With City Hall being an older building, he emphasized the importance of ensuring that asbestos awareness protocols are followed, encouraging the contractor to work closely with the city’s Health and Safety Department to ensure any potential hazards are identified and properly managed.
Dunne confirmed that the bid package included provisions for asbestos testing before any construction begins.
“That was part of the bid package, actually—that they remove a plug sample from the insulation to have it tested prior to construction,” said Dunne. “So it was recognized by both parties that this needed to be done due to the age of the building, particularly the basement.”
Councillor Shelly Veroba posed the question regarding the cost of asbestos abatement and whether it was included in the overall budget. Dunne assured the council that the project’s overall cost—$485,000—was well within the approved budget of $550,000, leaving ample room for any additional costs associated with asbestos removal.
“So that does leave us with a fairly substantial amount to cover abatements, because there isn’t a great deal of insulation there, but I believe there will be enough left within the budget to cover the abatement,” Dunne explained.
The project is expected to take between four to eight weeks to complete, with the asbestos removal being done during the installation process. Dunne noted that modern HVAC systems require significant changes to the building’s air intake system, making it necessary to remove existing infrastructure during the project.
“With the modern systems, there’s a 24-inch air intake exchange that comes into the buildings, but with the new equipment, that’s not required,” explained Dunne. “So that has to be completely removed before the new systems even go in, and that will be done during construction.”
With the contract awarded and safety concerns addressed, the HVAC upgrade at the Leisure Centre and City Hall is set to proceed, ensuring better air quality and efficiency in both facilities.