Whitehorse Daily Star

Tender for Carmacks arena closes

Four bids for construction of an arena in Carmacks were received by Thursday afternoon’s deadline,

By Whitehorse Star on August 3, 2018

Four bids for construction of an arena in Carmacks were received by Thursday afternoon’s deadline, though none of the general contractors are Yukon-based.

Scott Design Build of Hamilton, Ont., submitted the low bid of $14.6 million.

Johnston Builders Ltd. of St. Albert, Alta., was second lowest with a bid of $15.4 million. Yellowbridge of Port Moody, B.C., was third with a bid of $15.8 million and Wildstone Construction and Engineering Ltd. from Penticton, B.C., was the highest with a bid of $17.3 million.

It usually takes the Yukon government a week or two, sometimes more, to assess bid compliance before making the award.

The tender called for completion of the arena in the summer of 2020.

In an interview with Carmacks Mayor Lee Bodie in early May, the mayor explained the initial cost estimate being talked about was in the range of $7.5 million. It jumped later to around $10 or $11 million, though the most recent figure the mayor had heard at the time was $14 million, just like the Star had heard.

The federal government is covering 75 per cent of the cost while the Yukon government is paying 25 per cent.

Carmacks is the only one of the territory’s eight incorporated communities without an indoor arena.

Bodie said it will be a great centre piece for the 550 or so residents of Carmacks – all year round.

It will also double as a new curling facility, as the old one was recently torn down because of safety concerns. The arena can be converted into three curling sheets in a day, and back to a skating and hockey rink in another day, the mayor pointed out.

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