CITY OF VANCOUVER

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

 

Date:

November 17, 2004

 

Author:

P. Rutgers

 

Phone No.:

604-257-8463

 

RTS No.:

04679

 

CC File No.:

8003

 

Meeting Date:

November 30, 2004

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

General Manager - Parks and Recreation
and the Director of Social Planning

SUBJECT:

Expansion of the Champlain Heights Community Centre

RECOMMENDATION

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The City Manager RECOMMENDS approval of A, B, and C.

COUNCIL POLICY

At the City Council meeting of July 27, 1999, dealing with the redevelopment of the Champlain Mall, Council approved the following motions:

1. "THAT the form of development for the CD-1 zoned site known as 3200 East 54th Avenue be approved generally as illustrated in the Preliminary Development Application Number DE403146, prepared by W.T. Leung Architects Inc. and stamped "Received, City Planning Department, January 7, 1999 ", provided that the Director of Planning may approve design changes which would not adversely affect either the development character of this site or adjacent properties

2. THAT the proposed conditions of approval for the form of development for 3200 East 54th Avenue (Champlain Mall) include acceptance of a Community Amenity Contribution (CAC), details of which are outlined in the Policy Report dated July 9, 1999, and subject to further discussion and incorporation in an agreement to the satisfaction of the City Manager and the Director of Legal Services, in consultation with relevant Departments. This being in addition to Development Cost Levies (DCLs) expected to be paid under the proposed City-wide DCL By-law scheduled to be operative as of January 28, 2000 at the rate of $26.91 per m² ($2.50 per sq. ft.).

3. THAT the City apply DCL funds collected pursuant to the City-wide DCL By-law noted in Recommendation 2 to the following capital projects being provided on or related to this site by the developer in accordance with the following:

4. THAT when approved, the DCL for this development remain at $26.91 per m² ($2.50 per sq. ft.) until the development is completed.

5. THAT Recommendation 2. be understood to include that the City accept the $300,000 cash contribution and that Council decide how these funds are to be used, on the understanding that the contribution will not be considered for the School Board.

6. THAT should there be a shortfall in the money required to complete the daycare/childcare facilities at Champlain Community Centre, that Council be consulted as to whether the DCL money paid from the redevelopment of Champlain Mall could provide the necessary funds for completion."

On July 9, 2002, Council approved an additional allocation of up to $212,000 from the City-Wide DCL's to build a facility to accommodate a licensed 25-space out -of-school child development centre and a 20 space licensed preschool for 80 children, as a component of the Champlain Heights Community Centre, at a cost not to exceed $445,000.

It should be noted that contained within the report was the understanding that the Champlain Heights Community Association would apply for provincial and gaming capital grants, to offset the additional $212,000 DCL funds. The Champlain Heights Association was approved for a Provincial capital grant of $113,624. Application was not made for gaming funds.

In April 2002, Council adopted the childcare strategic plan "Moving Forward -Childcare: The Cornerstone of Early Childhood Development Services" as a basis for developing a more collaborative and coordinated approach to child development services.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to request Council to supplement the funding available for the upgrade and expansion of the Champlain Heights Community Centre by $406,604 in order to provide sufficient funding to proceed with the project.

BACKGROUND

The proposed project involves the creation of a childcare development centre and renovations and addition of community centre space to the Champlain Heights Community Centre for a total area of 4,200 SF.

The design of the project has been a very long process with changes to scope of work and funding.

The Park Board in 1996 allocated $150,000 for a new youth room addition. Design of the youth room addition was suspended in 1998 when it became know that CAC and DCL funds would be made available for a larger addition. The original project was therefore suspended in 1998. With the development of the Champlain Mall additional CAC and DCL funding became available to create combined childcare/recreation facility.

Additional City funding for the project is derived from CAC's and DCL's amounting to $911,800.

The CHCA offered at that time a further $20,000 towards the project. Total funding for the project before calling for tenders was $1,081,800

The Champlain Heights Community Association (CHCA), the operator of the childcare program, has applied to the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services, Child Care Branch for a facilities and equipment grant and the application was successful. The amount of the grant was $113,624.

DISCUSSION

Project Design and Tender

Since 1996 the project design has changed a number of times to reflect available funding. In September 2004 the project was tendered on the basis of a 1743 SF child development centre and a 2458 SF community recreation facility. Five tenders for the Champlain Heights Addition were received on October 14, 2004.

The bids have been reviewed by the architects and staff are ready to recommend a contract in the amount of $1,167,000.

This price exceeds the construction budget of $815,000 by $352,000. The cost overage experienced in this tender is indicative of the fact that market inflation has significantly driven up the cost of building in Vancouver at a rate approaching one percent per month in the last eighteen months. The costing for the childcare development centre was last set approximately 2 ½ years ago.

The Community Centre component of the project is over the existing budget by $368,862. The Park Board and Champlain Heights Community Association will be considering reports recommending adding $303,862 and $65,000 respectively for the community centre portion of the project. The Park Board will consider the reallocation of it capital funds on November 29, 2004.

Assuming Park Board and Association approvals, the child development centre portion of the project requires additional funding of $216,366, however, the Child Care facilities and equipment grant of $113,624 received by the Champlain Heights Association reduces the additional City funding required to $102,742.

FUNDING

If Council approves the funding reallocations and the additional $102,742 in DCL funds required for the child development centre, the sources and allocation of funding will be as follows:

Sources and Allocation of Funding

Funding Source

Community Centre

Child Dev't Centre

Park Board capital

$453,862

  

CHCA funding

$85,000

  

City CAC

$466,772

  

City DCL for child development centre

 

$445,000

Additional City DCL funding if approved by Council

  

$102,742

Grant from the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services, Child Care Branch

 

$113,624

Total

$1,005,634

$661,366

Grand Total:

$1,667,000

CONCLUSION

Council is being asked to approve the reallocation of $303,862 within Park Board Capital Accounts and the allocation of $102,742 in additional DCL's to complete funding for the addition to Champlain Heights Community Centre.

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