North Vancouver tennis centre upgrade back on the upswing
After much uncertainty about the status of the project, it seems the District of North Vancouver is prepared to move ahead with the planned $3-million expansion of the Grant Connell Tennis Centre.
The upgrade had been on the district’s books for some time and was last year granted funding in the 2011 budget for preliminary design and consultation work that included an on-site environmental impact assessment for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Shape Architecture Inc. of Vancouver and Turnbulll Construction Services Ltd. of White Rock were added to the project team in September to serve as the architect and overall project manager, respectively.
But in February there was some concern when the district’s draft 2012 budget was released that the project wouldn’t see any further funding before 2013 at the earliest, an issue Coun. Alan Nixon then called a “disappointment.”
But just last month the district put out a request for interested construction company managers to submit information showing their qualifications to take on the build which, for an estimated $3 million, is expected to include six new indoor tennis courts, a new mezzanine, spectator viewing areas, flex space and more parking.
The request for submissions cites July 2013 as the new planned completion date for the tennis centre expansion, but project dates and details will likely change before then.
The district has received several submissions from construction managers and the call for submissions is now closed. From those resumés, a handful of construction managers will be approved to submit official plans and proposals for the build as the district moves to the tendering stage and picks a successful bidder.
In the meantime, district council will discuss the tennis centre plans during an in-camera meeting on May 7 and direct staff with their decision on the project, said district spokesperson Jeanine Bratina.
The Grant Connell Tennis Centre building is owned by the District of North Vancouver but is run by the North Vancouver Recreation Commission, the joint operator of rec facilities in the district and the City of North Vancouver.
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