Detailed architectural drawings for the first phase of Red Deer’s civic centre expansion are not expected until mid-2010, says City of Red Deer manager Craig Curtis.
Earlier this year, city council authorized the spending of $2.87 million towards detailed designs regarding a building that would be constructed on the site of the current city RCMP detachment, across the street from the existing City Hall.
Curtis said that Group2 Architecture Engineering of Red Deer is working on those drawings.
“They will be working on them until the middle of next year,” he said. “There’s a lot of work involved and we’re not hurrying them because we’re not building it right now.”
The first phase involves the construction of a four-storey building just over 113,000 square feet in size. Its price tag is around $58.5 million.
Once it’s built, it could be further expanded in the next 40 years, with an additional five storeys.
Curtis said it’s likely that the project’s timelines will be discussed during 2010 municipal budget discussions in December.
City officials had hoped construction on that first phase would begin in late 2010, a timeline that could still be met, according to Curtis.
“Until I have seen the numbers on all the projects related to our capital potential, I am not making any change to that,” he said. “That’s city council’s decision.”
Cuts to the province’s Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding may delay the second phase.
That part of the project involves additional and renovated space totalling just over 175,000 square feet, including upgrading and adding space to the Red Deer Public Library and existing City Hall.
Phase two is so far scheduled to begin in late 2012 or early 2013.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com