Bronnenco Construction awarded Blyth daycare contract

BY SCOTT STEPHENSON

North Huron Council has awarded the construction contract for the new Blyth daycare, now known as the South Site Daycare, after receiving construction tender results at its Dec. 1 meeting. Although all four bids received exceed the project’s current budget, council voted to award the contract to the lowest bidder, Bronnenco Construction Ltd, for $2,160,400 plus tax.

 

A report submitted by Director of Recreation and Children’s Services, Kelly Steiss recommended accepting Bronnenco’s bid. She writes that the construction tender for the new daycare was opened for submissions on Nov. 3. 

 

Four bids were submitted: Bronnenco Construction Ltd. at $2,160,400, SDI Builders 2010 Ltd. at $2,254,000, Feltz Design Build Ltd. at $2,312,524.32, and K&L Construction Ltd. at $2,723,800. According to the tender analysis, the lowest bid was approximately 15 per cent higher than the estimate of construction cost. JPM Architecture advised that higher-than-expected material and labour costs have contributed to the difference. In its bid analysis letter, the firm recommended awarding the project to Bronnenco, a recommendation supported by township staff.

 

During council’s discussion, Councillor Chris Palmer expressed concern about the cost overrun, saying he was “a bit astonished at the estimate,” and asked about the likelihood of receiving additional county funding. Steiss responded that the township is already in discussions with Huron County about funding options and assured council that staff are working to ensure the project can be fully funded without requiring taxation to cover any portion of the cost.