BARRHEAD - Lac Ste. Anne County (LSAC) council has made the tough decision to replace its administration building which is only eight years old.
Councillors meeting approved a resolution to start planning for the construction of a new administration building following an in-camera session at their May 17 council.
The more than $11.7 million 25,000-square-foot administration building about two kilometres south of the Hamlet of Sangudo opened its doors in 2017. Funding for the building came from a combination of provincial grants, the majority being the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) and a short-term borrowing debenture, which has been paid in full.
The county constructed the building to consolidate its operations, which had been taking place in three buildings in Sangudo. A 2005 review found the main office building had “major structural flaws,” including an unsafe roof, leaking windows, mould, and an “unsanitary” sewage system, among other defects. The building also suffered from a lack of storage space, and as a result, they stored their paper records in three unheated containers outside the building.
Before construction, LSAC residents debated on the location of the building, with many people wanting it closer to the Onoway/Rich Valley area. Opponents of the building also objected to the design and scale, saying it was too extravagant and expensive.
Residents also launched two petitions to stop construction. The building’s opening was also delayed several times due to construction delays caused by the weather and building defects.
A May 17 media release stated council decision to replace the administration building, which has significant structural issues, "was difficult, but necessary".
Among the issues, the release states that the building suffers from extensive cracking of the walls and the ceiling bowing and sloping of floor slabs, separation of walls from each other and the foundation, as well as damage to the vapour barrier and fireproofing and separations. Other problems noted also include that there are notable gaps in the building, causing air infiltration and heat loss and damage to the exterior cladding.
Reeve Joe Blakeman said in the Barrhead Leader in a May 31 interview that it was a decision that no one on council wanted or thought they would have to make.
However, he said council opted to start the planning process for a new administration building after extensive expert investigations and assessments determined that, in the long run, it would be more cost-effective to start from scratch than attempt to repair the structure, if it was even possible.
He also added that there are no immediate plans to move out of the building, saying that they have spent a lot of effort ensuring it is safe.
"But that could change in a moment if things shift even more," Blakeman said.
Issues with the building predate its opening, as during its construction phase when staff observed slab heaving and drywall cracking.
According to the LSAC release, geotechnical experts determined the cause was moisture changes to the high plastic clay underneath the building, which caused the floor to move when the clay expanded and contracted because of changing moisture levels.
The release noted that efforts to remedy the situation by redirecting the surface water seemed to have resolved the issue, and the county expected to have the deficiencies in the building repaired through the warranty.
Unfortunately, Blakeman said the designers and builders did not address the issues with the result being that the building continues to experience movement.
The release also notes that the municipality's consultants expect that because of "differential movement of the interior floor slab, there is a significant risk that the known problems will get worse and new issues with other building components will occur."
As the result of the findings, Blakeman saud council only had two options.
"Either we hide and ignore it, or we deal with it and start planning, looking for the proper financial channels to make it affordable for our county and our ratepayers," he said.
Blakeman added that the county hopes to recoup some of the costs for the new building through their lawsuit against the architicts and builders.
He could not list the complainants, but a CBC news report lists them as Colliers Project Leaders, A&E Architectural and Engineering Group, Casman Building Solutions, Arrow Engineering and Roterra Piling over the project and that they are seeking $10 million in damages.
The municipality launched the lawsuit in 2019. The case is expected to be resolved sometime in 2024.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
