Mayor puts foot down on pool completion date

Jeff Helsdon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Mayor Deb Gilvesy wasn’t impressed with another delay in the completion date for renovations and the addition at the Tillsonburg Community Centre.

A report on the work still be done was presented at the Nov. 25 council meeting, setting a new date for completion of Jan. 31. A prior update from June put the completion date in September, then an update in September estimated the project would be completed in December. The June report also contained additional cost of $418,050. The additional work still to be completed is tiling the pool deck, drywall, pool coping (the transition between the pool and deck) and work related to a revised grading plan to ensure proper drainage at the new entrance.

Mayor Deb Gilvesy told council members she has toured the facility and there is a lot of tiling remaining.

“We have to insist this is done by the end of January,” she said. “No more playing Mr. Nice or Mrs. Nice. We’re the customer and we need to insist this project is done.”

Gilvesy said she alerted the team about the possible drainage issue by the doors a year ago, and it’s still one of the items not completed.

“I need this project done and the community needs it done,” she said.

The report also asked for another $13,880 of architectural and project management costs of more than $13,000. This will be funded from the existing contingency fund for the project. Gilvesy said the longer the project goes, the more it will cost taxpayers.

“It was December and now it’s the end of January,” she said. “We need to hold their feet to the fire and not accept anything else.”

Council received the report as information.