Bradford’s future town hall is closer to becoming a reality, thanks to the Strategic Projects Advisory Committee.
Council voted to endorse the committee’s recommendation to proceed with a 30-per-cent design-build construction method and to consider efficient green initiatives through the design process, during the Sept. 5 meeting of council.
“I’m super happy to finally see this move forward,” Deputy Mayor Raj Sandhu, who is also chair of the committee, said via email.
The new four-storey town hall is proposed to be located just across from the community centre, along the western edge of the property which is currently an open lawn, and is expected to include a community hub with multi-purpose rooms, administrative offices and combined performing arts/council chambers.
Sandhu hopes the “significant investment in one of our original neighbourhoods” will bring more staff together under one roof, reduce the costs of leasing space in multiple units around town and create “additional patronage for the nearby downtown core.”
The committee decided to make the recommendations during their Aug. 28 meeting based on information from a report by Steve Neely, manager of construction projects.
In the report, Neely explained that in the traditional design-bid-build model the town would hire a firm to design the project, solicit bids from contractors to build the project and then select the winning bid; whereas, with the chosen design-build method, a single design-builder or general contractor is responsible for both the design and construction phases.
The report goes on to say that the 30-per-cent design-build method is a “highly efficient way of delivering a design-build project,” in which the town is expected to establish the basis of the design with consultants to a 30-per-cent complete set of drawings, and then the design-build team can complete the remaining 70 per cent of the design with their consultants.
The report estimates this method saves as much as 10 per cent of costs when compared with the traditional design-bid-build model.
The town has previously had success with this method on the Line 11 operations buildings and the Bradford West Gwillimbury Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters and Fire Station No. 1 at 77 Melbourne Drive, according to the report, and Sandhu agrees.
“This construction management approach allows for collaboration between the designer and contractor which can lead to lower overall project costs and a shorter project time frame,” he said.
The report also looked at various green initiatives that could be included in the town hall’s design, such as a green roof, high-performance insulation, rainwater harvesting, solar panels and more, but the committee hasn’t ruled anything in or out just yet.
“We’ll work with the design team to further evaluate specific green initiatives as the design evolves and proceed with those that offer the best overall value to the project,” Sandhu said.
Similarly, the committee didn’t decide exactly which, if any, environmental certifications to meet as part of the design, though the report included considerations for BREEAM, LEED, Green Globes, Zero Carbon and more.
“We believe that we can deliver a state-of-the-art building that achieves the performance standards of many of those programs without incurring their certification costs,” Sandhu said.
The report explained that incorporating green design principles can offer benefits, such as lower energy and water consumption, improved indoor air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and enhanced comfort; however, all of that can come with higher upfront costs, longer payback periods, and more complex design and construction.
Once a detailed design for the town hall is completed, Geoff McKnight, town CAO, estimated during a May meeting of council, that the contract for construction could go to tender in late 2024.
The town hall is planned to be the cornerstone of the redevelopment of 125 Simcoe Road, where the entire campus has been a hub for the town for decades, housing various outdoor recreation facilities and the town’s Canada Day celebrations, plus the community centre and curling club.
In addition to the town hall and existing buildings, the town is considering including the following in the full redevelopment:
- a public square
- a water feature
- a rooftop garden
- pedestrian pathways
- urbanized streetscape with trees, patios and benches
- surface and underground parking
- a rain garden
- a skating trail
- an event stage
- sports courts
- a splash pad
- a playground
- a shade structure
- landscaping and naturalized seating
- open green space
- a skate park
- and more
While the town hall project doesn’t include updates for the community centre or the curling club building, Sandhu said there are ongoing plans for that work as part of the Community Centre Master Plan.
With files from Patrick Bales
