September 27 - Westmount Independent

8 – WESTMOUNT INDEPENDENT – September 27-28, 2011Arena process outlinedcontinued from p. 1original budget.”Picard was the only member of the public,other than journalists, to attend thecouncil meeting when the search for aconsortium was announced and details ofthe selection process were presented byMartin.The first stage was launched on Quebec’sofficial call-for-tenders website calledSEAO (Système électronique d’appels d’offres).Qualifiers known Oct. 17With announcement of successful qualifierson Monday, October 17, the morelengthy second stage is to be launched thenext day, October 18, as a “request for proposals.”This is open only to those whoqualified in the first stage, possibly only asfew as three would be chosen by the city,Martin suggested.This would make it worth their whiletaking the time – perhaps up to five weeks– to work up detailed designs and costs,knowing they had a one-in-three chance ofwinning. Hopefully, this would producelower bids.The proposals would be prepared accordingto a “design-build stipulated pricecontract” endorsed by construction and architecturalassociations and well understoodby those in the trades andprofessions.“We’re looking for consortia that haveworked in an institutional setting, arebondable for $30-million projects, havebuilt arenas and pools and have certificationexperience with LEED [Leadership inEnergy and Environmental Design],” Martinsaid.Bonding essentialHe told the Independent he expectedthere were only about 12 contractors inQuebec who would be able to meet thenecessary bonding, an important componentof the fixed-price contract. Thesewould be medium to large companies because“it’s very hard to get bonding.”The importance of the bonding is to ensurethat in the event the contractor is unableto finish the project, the insurerwould pay the cost of completion.Despite the new direction, a group of20 residents proposed an entirely newplan September 21 for two hockey rinks,as well as indoor and outdoor pools usingboth the current site and the nearby PublicWorks yard at the foot of Bethune (seestory p. 14).As reported by the Independent September20, council, as expected, passed aresolution at the mid-month meeting tocancel the remainder of the architecturalcontract of Lemay et associés as a first stepin adopting the design-build approach.Truck noise ceases with endof work at École internationaleThe backing-up beeping sounds madeby trucks as they worked on repairs at theÉcole internationale on Côte St. AntoineRd. over the last few months has finallyceased with completion of the work.“It’s been going on for a very longtime,” explained Beverley Hutchison, wholives on Kitchener Ave. near the corner ofSherbrooke St.Isabelle Marcotte, the high school’s director,said the trucks were involved inmajor repairs being done on the school’sstone outer walls.“It’s more than a year that we’ve beendoing this work,” she said, adding thatabout $1 million worth of renovations onthe school’s cafeteria and kitchen was takingplace around about the same time. Shesaid the work is completed now.According to Marcotte, the workerswere starting on weekdays as early as 7am, although they weren’t there on weekends.She said the Commission scolaire deMontréal, which operates the school, obtainedall the necessary permits from thecity of Westmount.– MCBWorkers were at the École internationale when these shots were taken by the Independent onSeptember 9.Overheard on thestreets ofWestmountWords were exchanged on Roslyn andthe Boulevard on September Wednesday14, shortly after 2 pm when a jaywalker,wearing a Crocodile Dundee-style hat,stepped in front of the driver of a silvercar. “Did you see that light?” the elderlydriver shouted from his car window tothe jolly jaywalker, who sarcastically responded“sorry your majesty!” and continuedon his way.Woman trips, fallsin streetA public safety officer noticed an ambulancestop September 7 on Metcalfejust south of Sherbrooke where a smallgroup of people had congregated arounda woman lying in the street. Public Securityofficials said the 58-year-oldwoman was believed to have been crossingit when, according to UrgencesSanté personnel, she apparently trippedand fell on a crack near where she lay.While she was given medical assistance,the officer retrieved her pursefrom her parked car, issued it a parkingtolerance, directed traffic and tried withoutsuccess to contact her husband. Shewas taken to hospital.At the council meeting Sept 19, Councillor Patrick Martin explains how the consortium will be chosen.