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The Fairbank Community Center is open to the public while the last phases of the project are wrapped up. The Permanent Building Committee met on April 8 to talk through some last-mile challenges.
The first challenge is a water leak that the project team believes is coming from the old roof of the Atkinson pool. More analysis has to be done to determine the cause and remedy the situation. Because it’s tied to the Atkinson pool, it was believed to be outside of the scope of the construction project, and will be addressed by the Sudbury Facilities Department.
The public also learned, during the last Park and Recreation Commission meeting, that the Atkinson Pool dive well has been closed indefinitely due to environmental concerns associated with an ongoing leak of chlorinated water. An anonymous report submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency prompted the closure and dechlorination. (1:22:00)
The ongoing Atkinson Pool maintenance issues are the target of a proposed project that is on the warrant for Annual Town Meeting in May. If the article passes, it would provide $2,350,000 for the Town to replace the roof of the Atkinson pool, replace key mechanical equipment and piping, and repair/re-grout the tile in the pool. (Page 33)
The second challenge that cropped up at the community center is the discovery of arsenic in the soil that needs to be removed from the recreation side of the building. (23:30) The soil tests indicated that the arsenic levels slightly exceed the allowable threshold. In combination with other unforeseen challenges over the course of the project, the Permanent Building Committee felt it had no choice but to vote to extend the “substantial completion” date to June 21. They also authorized a member to negotiate up to $50,000 in additional costs for all facets of additional soil testing, handling and disposal.
With a couple months left to go, the Owner’s Project Manager, Chris Eberly, encouraged the committee to prioritize any further change orders on the project, as contingency funds are healthy, but the existing list of anticipated potential changes is significant. They also have site drainage work to complete.