This article is a follow-up on my previous articles debunking the business case for the Ontario Science Centre’s relocation, analyzing how the engineers’ roof report doesn’t call for a complete closure, demonstrating how a temporary location of the Science Centre would be costly and would not be open for two years, and calculating how the actual cost to repair the Science Centre is around $200 million?or just $25-30 million for tackling priority repairs?not the $478 million that is being cited by the Province.
Over 78,000 people have signed a petition demanding the reopening of the Ontario Science Centre. And it?s clear, as with any older building, that repair and reinvestment will be needed.
It’s true that in addition to the cost of roof repairs, there are other repairs needed to maintain the Science Centre to maintain its buildings in good working order. But, as I have written before and detailed yesterday, the actual construction cost of repairs over the next 20 years is around $200 million?not the $478 million that the Province cites. To keep the building open for the next few years would cost much less?around $25-30 million. The actual figure for repairs comes in at $211 million. This is based on the estimates provided by the Province?s consultants Pinchin and Rimkus, and applies industry standard figures for construction escalation, consultant fees, and contingency, instead of the province?s inflated mark-ups. It fully addresses deferred maint...