The Hall Street pier project in Nelson is on track to be complete around Christmas, with only the canopy and some lighting left to install.
Over the last two months, crews have lifted the gangway ramps leading up to the swim dock into place, installed swimming ladders on the lower swim dock, and started installing lights on some benches and bumpers.
The project was originally anticipated to be finished before fall, however supply chain challenges, and the rising cost of inflation resulted in some delays as the city tried to re-design components of the project to keep it within budget.
When it was proposed in 2020, the project’s budget was set at $2.6 million, and in 2021 it was raised to $3.5 million. It was raised again in 2022 to $4.8 million to allow the installation of a $861,000 canopy.
The original design of the canopy put the project over budget, but the city was able to redesign the structure at a lower cost. The redesign has been finalized and Collin Innes, director of engineering capital works and special projects with the city, says its installation is anticipated to start in November.
“The designers have been working very hard over the summer and have finalized the design and started developing the steel structural members. We’ve gone through a value engineering exercise and taken a look at other ways we can achieve our end-goal while still saving in the process.”
He explained that because they went through the value engineering process while they were still in the redesign phase, they were able to adapt accordingly and make necessary cuts whenever an additional detail was needed, while still holding the value of the structure.
Innes says the steel materials for the structure are currently being manufactured, and that installation will take the entire month of November. Once the steel is put into place, Innes says crews will proceed with cladding and hopefully be finished around Christmas.
“Once we’ve got all the structural steel in place all that’s left will be getting this cladding put onto it. We may have to go early next year to finish the cladding work, because it requires a whole bunch of carpentry work. There’s about 5,000 pieces of cladding that need to go on to the structure, all of which are going to require a bunch of different cuts because of how all the details come together.”
The project has had its fair share of challenges, according to Innes, who said they’ve had to adapt multiple times due to supply chain issues associated with the pandemic.
“Because the project started coming out of the COVID era, there’s been all these supply chain disruptions that have continued from that time. Even getting our hands on lights or breakers for panels takes a long time to make all those things happen.
“Historically it was a lot easier to schedule resources because you knew that if you ordered something two weeks later, it was going to show up as opposed to now you’re dealing with months of ordering.”
He says they’ve had to be very diligent with time management to prevent more delays associated with supply chain issues.
“The real trick has been working with everybody to make sure that when they come on site that we’ve got all the materials and everything there that they need to be productive and that we don’t just have downtime.”
The installation of the canopy is set to begin on Nov. 6, and should be finished within budget.
