Work at the former OPP station in Fergus is nearly completed.
Social services committee chairman Gord Tosh told council on March 29 that the building should have its renovations completed soon.
“We should be ready to serve clients by the end of April,” he said.
CRD Construction Limited, of Guelph, was the lowest of 10 firms competing for the work, at $342,000 plus taxes.
When the architectural fees and miscellaneous other fees are counted, the total cost was $416,000, which was slightly over the initial estimate of $350,000.
The work on the building included:
– partial office demolition;
– full demolition of concrete block walls at holding and jail cell areas;
– reconfiguration of the front offices and addition of new barrier-free washrooms;
– a new employee gym;
– refinishing of existing change rooms and washrooms;
– re-use of existing electrical and mechanical systems where possible; and
– re-use of existing furniture where possible.
The new building will allow the county to serve a large part of its population with social services in downtown Fergus. Those clients would be forced to make their way to Guelph otherwise.
Tosh told council in his social services committee report that to date there have been nine changes to the original contract, and those have increased the cost by just over $13,300.
In order to move a social services building to Fergus, the office would have to serve a minimum of 240 clients to ensure at least three or more caseworkers are assigned there to provide adequate coverage during vacation and sickness. The building must also be on or close to a major transportation route and be big enough to serve clients and have a secure reception area. The old OPP building meets that criteria.
At the time of the decision to locate services in Fergus there were 332 clients from the central and northern part of the county.
The office will provide convenient local services for residents of the Townships of Centre Wellington, Mapleton and Wellington North, as well as the Town of Minto.
A manager will move from Guelph to oversee the Ontario Works and Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program, and there will be four caseworkers, a part-time clerk for both programs, and back-up in reception, for a total of 7.4 positions. That means new hiring equivalent to 1.9 full-time jobs.
Among the work to be finished before the building opens are:
– wood door installation;
– all flooring installed;
– millwork installation;
– mechanical and electrical finishing;
– all glazing;
– washroom accessories and signs will be installed;
– ceiling tiles installed;
– demonstration and commission of equipment; and
– deficiencies will be remedied.
