The city will be replacing a leaky section of roof at the SASCU Recreation Centre.
At its March 28 meeting, Salmon Arm council supported a request from city operations manager Randy Rusjan to approve phase 1 of the recreation centre roof replacement and use $95,000 from the Recreation Centre Major Maintenance Reserve Fund to do the work.
The portion of the roof being replaced is over the changing rooms and tool room.
Rusjan explained the rec centre roof is 37 years old and would be difficult to repair, let alone determine where the leak might be.
“In order to try and even diagnose it you have to remove all the gravel, remove all the insulation… remove the membrane and try and find the leak,” said Rusjan.
In a written report to the council, Rusjan said the leak developed during heavy snowmelt, and when there are heavy rainfall water leaks onto the floor by the entrance to the changing rooms. He said maintenance staff placed buckets in the affected area, and have configured “a form of catchment attached to the ceiling to divert the water.”
Concerned phase 1 might not address the leak, Coun. Debbie Cannon asked if it might be more prudent to see what it would cost to redo the whole roof – if it would be less than the $800,000 currently in the reserve fund.
Rusjan said a preliminary estimate for replacing the entire roof was around $500,000 but added it could be as high as $900,000.
Chief financial officer Chelsea Van de Cappelle recommended against using the entire reserve.
Coun. Kevin Flynn supported only doing phase 1 as requested, noting the city’s long-range financial plan (five to 10 years) includes the recreation centre being replaced.
“To me, we’re way better off hoping for no more leaks and it gets us eight more years or five more years… so I very much support the phased approach, with my fingers, toes and every other body part crossed, knowing that maybe we will have to replace it before the building is replaced,” said Flynn.
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lachlan@saobserver.net
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