Rising Centennial Park remediation costs and ongoing revisions to the scope of the project have Sarnia's mayor concerned.
It's recommended city council award the tender for Phase 2 and 3 remediation along with the Harbour Rd./Centennial Park Watermain Project to Bre-Ex Construction Inc. of London Monday.
Mike Bradley says remediation costs for the next two phases are now beyond the $5.5-million previously approved by council.
"The concern is the report coming back says the St. Clair Conservation Authority is not going to be involved in funding, which means $450,000 extra dollars will come more than likely from reserves," says Bradley. "The contract that is being awarded is over $7-million dollars and this is on top of the first phase."
Bradley says he doesn't support the direction the project is moving.
He says when the park is finally done, the public will be questioning what they got for $8-million to $10-million.
"It's my hope, and I've had some discussions in the community, that we can get the community to step forward and when this project is done to bring about a proper band shell and amenities that I think would change the park. There is no better year to do that then in 2017, which is the 50th anniversary of that parks opening."
The next phases, planned to begin the first week of July, aren't expected to be complete until November.
This will be the fourth consecutive summer that much of the park is closed off following the discovery of asbestos and other contaminants in May 2013.
