Additional Costs Are Adding Up to the Current Golden Plough

Pete Fisher
4 days ago
• Categories: Local

Along the cost of the construction of the new Golden Plough Lodge & Northumberland County Archives and Museum reaching $30 million dollars over budget there are also additional costs for the upkeep of the current Golden Plough.

The budget for the facility was initially projected at $115 million, but recently Northumberland County released an update of $145 million which will be funded through a financing arrangement with Infrastructure Ontario as well as a draw from reserves.

The cost includes from initial purchase of the property, planning, design, and approvals, to construction and project administration, legal and financial costs including interest on construction financing, furniture and finishes, demolition of the old GPL, and landscaping and remaining site work.

The current Golden Plough has 151 beds in the facility with the new one to have 180 beds.

The project was started December 2020 with an estimated with a projected completion date of December 2022.

But due to challenges in construction stemming from the pandemic and other facts including skilled labor shortages, high interested rates, supply chain disruptions the occupancy date is set for June 2025.

Between January 2023 and the fall of 2025, the County will have invested $214,720 in maintenance and repairs of the existing facility necessary to ensure the continued comfort and safety of residents and sustainability of operations until the transition to the new facility can be completed. This includes:

Roof repairs $5,522

Window repairs and updates $2,227

Hot water tank replacement $12,913

Heating and cooling systems (HVAC) $174,130

Parking lot repairs $14,167

Compressor replacement $5,761

The County had planned to release a breakdown of costs in conjunction with sharing the updated budget.

However, at the request of the contractor for reasons of commercial sensitivity, this breakdown has been deferred for 60 days. This breakdown will now be shared at the December meeting of the Public Works Committee.