Multi-use’ moving along

Pilings are being driven and crews are working on interior demolition at Westfort as the much-delayed “multi-use” project has started making some progress.
John McLeod, education director with the local public school board, said the project is back on schedule and now moving full speed ahead.
“There will be two cranes in their by next week,” he said. “Tenders are going out for the site base, granular and cement.
“It looks like we’re getting right on schedule.”
Daoust Construction is now in possession of a building permit to continue with the work. McLeod said the absence of the permit was due to a miscommunication between Daoust and the project architect, C.A. Ventin.
“The construction manager though the architect should do it, the architect though the construction manager should do it, but it was done before we started,” McLeod stressed.
He also noted much of the work on the new school has been going to local companies. The only out-of-town contractor is Tom Jones of Thunder Bay to do the pilings.
“All the fill and excavation is mostly local work,” McLeod continued. “All these guys are happy because they’re making money.”
McLeod wasn’t sure how big the construction site would get but he figured numbers would climb to 100 people once all the trade workers got in.
“The only out-of-town employee is the superintendent on site,” he noted. “It’s a good deal for the town.”
In related news, possible changes to the seating capacity of the auditorium have not been finalized yet although McLeod said a decision on that isn’t pressing.
“As far as we’re concerned, the outside size is not going to change a great deal,” he said, noting construction on the exterior of the auditorium might not begin until next spring.
“Confederation College’s part has been finalized and our part has been finalized,” he added.
With the “multi-use” facility finally being built after much controversy and debate, McLeod hoped the worst complaint he’ll get from now on is that the construction work was too noisy.
“There’s no point in [fighting] now,” he said. “If we ever get stopped now, the cost will be tremendous.
“It’s being built,” McLeod remarked. “And most people are excited about the extra work it’s bringing to the town.”