City Council is agreeing to overhaul the Centennial Botanical Conservatory, which could put the city on the hook for up to $4.67 million.
City Councillors voted unanimously Monday night to earmark a budget of $1.4 million from the Renew Thunder Bay Fund toward the project.
The cost for the renewal has risen from the last estimate of $3.1 million.
They initially gave the green light last year to replace the cold frame greenhouse and three production greenhouses. The price tag for that is now $2.5 million, up from the initial $1.8 million.
Along with the new greenhouses, the project includes safety improvements needed to re-open the East and West wings and remove the netting to catch falling glass in the main tropical display area, along with building a new Annex building with accessible washrooms.
The entire project could cost up to $7.2 million in total, according to Manager of Parks and Open Spaces Cory Halvorsen.
That didn’t surprise McIntyre Ward Councillor Albert Aiello, who pointed out the city has delayed fixing up the Conservatory for years.
“We had to go all in or out, and we decided to go all in,” he said.
The city is applying for $2.5 million through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. City administration is also recommending pursuing outside funding from the Infrastructure Canada Green and Inclusive Community Buildings fund, which could provide up to 80 per cent of the project’s cost if the city is successful.
Halvorsen notes the construction of the new cold frame greenhouse is set to start this year at an estimated cost of $150,000.
The city has completed two-thirds of the design process for the production greenhouse replacement, and could begin asking for bids from construction firms this fall and begin building in 2022.
The entire project could be finished by the end of 2023.
