Construction problems at the Qay'llnagaay Heritage Centre in Skidegate have resulted in a dispute between the band council and the contractor, but centre CEO Robert Dudoward is hopeful all will be resolved amicably, Jeff King writes.
Just under half a million dollars ($492,000) worth of work is not up to snuff, according to Mr. Dudoward, including the geo-thermal field, drywall, and the concrete floor. As well, there's a problem with mold in some drywall, he said.
"These all have to be addressed in a respectful manner," Mr. Dudoward said, "We haven't been happy for a while about the quality from the direction the workforce has been given."
Work at the site is continuing, and the problem is not expected to seriously impact the centre's completion. "If we sit down and look one another in the face, we will all come away fine. If we do that, we will be in a win-win situation," Mr. Dudoward said, "the differences are not that substantial."
The contractor - Grand Construction - was formally notified March 1 about the problems and has ten days to respond. If the two sides cannot work out the problems among themselves, the next step will be binding arbitration.
It's not the first time there have been problems with construction. Last fall, part of the concrete foundation had to be torn out and redone after tests showed it was not strong enough.
The $26-million centre is supposed to open in a year. The construction phase is slated to be finished this spring.