FERGUS – Lots of work has been accomplished at 965 Gartshore St., Centre Wellington council heard at its Oct. 14 meeting.
And if things continue as planned, township staff will start moving into the new operations centre next autumn.
Grading is complete, as is 95 per cent of site servicing, and footings for the administration building and elevator shaft are being poured.
The stormwater pond area has been graded to sub grade, the watermains are in and all the fill that will be necessary is piled on site.
Operations centre project manager Brandon Buehler told council structural steel should arrive in November and construction crews will start installing it at the administration building.
Work on the new mechanics shop/garage will begin in the new year.
The total budget for the project is $28.2 million. Ball Construction has the contract for the design-build project and will be paid $26.8 million.
The $1.4 million difference is for outside costs such as hooking up to hydro and IT equipment.
Buehler said staff are developing a move-in plan as construction should be complete by fall of 2026.
Departments to occupy the operations centre include planning and development, infrastructure, community services, IT, the shop, roads, water and some parks staff.
Councillor Bronwynne Wilton asked if there would be room in the operations centre to house the municipal service corporation when it gets established.
“There’s definitely room to grow,” CAO Dan Wilson answered, adding the future use of the old farmhouse on the site is still up for discussion and that might be an appropriate place.
For the past couple of years, the farmhouse has been used to house locum doctors working at Groves Memorial Community Hospital.
Because of construction, they’ve moved elsewhere and will eventually be housed in the home the township owns on Union Street.
That house is currently undergoing some renovations, which should be complete by the end of November.
Buehler said he’ll return to council every few months with updates on progress.
Councillors will be able to tour the site in the spring.
