Councillors in Essex will be asked to approve some additional grant funding for an on-going project at their regular meeting of council tonight.
As part of the 2022 budget deliberations, council approved that Parks and Facilities build washrooms at the Heritage Gardens Park to promote events and tourism at that location.
The approved budget for the project was $300,000.00, which included a $50,000 donation from the Rotary Club of Essex and a $100,000 donation from the Essex BIA.
Ward 1 councillor Joe Garon says the project had to go back to council once already due to some inflationary pressures.
"But then there was also some unforeseen work once the job was rewarded, there was some unforeseen work underneath the ground, that added an additional $15,000 to the budget. So that's basically why it's coming back to council," he said.
During the excavation stages of the project, the contractor was installing a water line from Wilson Avenue to the building location, and while doing so encountered large
foundations and large rocks along the way.
Officials say the additional labour and removal of materials required for the installation of the water line cost just over $15,000.
The town has received a grant of $28,646 from the "My Main Street Community Activator Program", and with council's approval on Monday night the funds will offset the labour costs with $13,513.05 also going toward the total project cost.
Garon says before the pandemic a project coming back in front of council multiple times wasn't something that happened much.
"It seems to be the norm in the last year for sure. Pre-COVID we never really experienced that, our budgets were usually pretty much right on," he continued. "It was very rare that administration would come back asking for more money on projects, but it just seems to be the norm since COVID."
He says this should be the last hiccup the project encounters.
"The building itself is up right now I understand, it's just running the water to the building I guess which was the concern that required more money. If you drive by there now the building is up and it won't be too much longer now, it should be up and running for us for spring."
Essex council gets underway at 6 p.m.