qathet region’s resource-recovery centre has a construction management team in place for the pending buildout.
At a meeting of the qathet Regional District (qRD) board of directors last month, Electoral Area A director and board chair Patrick Brabazon announced that the board had approved a contract with MKM Projects Ltd. of Qualicum Beach.
According to Melissa Howey, qRD manager of asset management and strategic initiatives, MKM will provide construction management and services for the centre.
In a written submission for the Peak, Howey stated that MKM was selected following a 2021 request for proposal process for these services.
Howey stated the resource-recovery centre project budget is $18.6 million. The balance of the project in the 2022 and 2023 budget is $15.4 million.
She stated that in 2016, the project was awarded a $6 million grant to remediate the site. Included in the overall project budget is the approved borrowing of up to $11.9 million, to complete the buildout of the centre, according to Howey. qRD will also utilize $500,000 from the Canada Community-Building Fund to support the project, she added.
The project has been broken down into three phases. In 2021, the project team completed phases one and two, which included site cleanup, sorting and processing of waste materials stockpiled at the site, and the encapsulation of the incinerator ash landfill.
In 2022 through to 2023, the project team will be working on the completion of phase three, which is final site design and facility construction.
Howey stated that key elements at the site will include a new recycling depot, providing all available recycling programs and offering opportunity for local diversion. She stated there will also be a small construction waste diversion outlet, fix-it and upcycling workshop space, free store and staff offices.
Another component is a compost education centre and a waste education and re-creation hub. Howey added that there will also be a waste transfer station, offering opportunities for maximum diversion from landfill through the source separation of waste.
“Currently, the building application for the resource-recovery centre is under review by the City of Powell River,” stated Howey. “Pending application approval, construction is anticipated to begin this spring.”
