WELLINGTON NORTH – The county’s Green Legacy program operates two nurseries, and due to drastic weather this past winter, one will require a serious makeover.
The northern nursery, located on Grand River Conservation Authority land near Damascus, has two large greenhouses and has been operational since 2012.
Early this year, Green Legacy staff discovered one of the greenhouses sustained significant structural damage. Snow had accumulated along the west side of the greenhouse, causing it to collapse.
DeCloet Greenhouse Manufacturing Limited, the original installer of the greenhouse, inspected the site and provided an estimate of demolition, debris removal and new greenhouse installation.
According to an April 10 planning committee report, costs include:
- greenhouse (30 feet by 100 feet sunmaster), both gable ends polycarbonate structural sheets with double sliding doors, manual roll-up side walls and required hardware: $22,925;
- engineered stamped hardware: $3,000;
- replacement exhaust fan: $2,500; and
- removal and disposal of existing greenhouse and installation of new structure: $20,500.
The total is $48,925 but a disaster recovery program rebate (10 per cent) reduces the cost to $44,032.
An inside view of the Wellington North nursery structural damage after heavy snow accumulated along the west side of the greenhouse, causing it to collapse. Wellington County planning committee agenda images
Based on an assessment by Green Legacy officials, the greenhouse’s contents (tables, water lines, tree stock, etc.) were not severely damaged and can be salvaged.
The report notes any items that can be reused will be discounted at the final billing.
“Have we updated our procedures to make sure that we’re monitoring this in the future to prevent this type of event?” councillor Andy Lennox asked at the April 24 county council meeting.
County director of planning and development Aldo Salis said a meeting with staff is slated for the near future.
The cost for repair/replacement of the greenhouse at the northern nursery is below the county’s insurance deductible for damages and repairs to buildings/facilities ($50,000).
“County staff will need to set up a capital project for this work and fund it from reserves,” the report states.
A capital account for the northern nursery greenhouse replacement will be established and funded from a contingency and stabilization reserve.
