The clock may be ticking on the University of Ottawa’s Vanier Tower. U of O’s director of physical resources has said the tower has run into a long list of construction delays, and with a deadline approaching, the school could lose federal government funding to complete the project.
The Vanier Tower is being funded in part by the federal government’s Knowledge Infrastructure Program.
U of O received $30 million from the program for the estimated $112 million project, according to the U of O website. The project included a renovation of Vanier Hall along with the creation of the Vanier Tower.
Last fall the university began construction, but after digging a few feet underground it was discovered that part of the school's property sits on shale, which would not be suitable to stand the weight needed for the foundation, according to U of O director of physical resources Claudio Brun del Re.
This caused construction to be delayed by five months, Brun del Re said. He said engineers solved the problem earlier this year, allowing construction to continue.
“There were unexpected geotechnical issues,” he acknowledged. "We have been back in full production since the late spring." Though work on the building has continued, valuable time was lost. By the end of March 2011, the $30 million funding would be cut off, and it is unclear right now how far along the building will be by then, he said.
Brun del Re said the university is working with the original plans to complete the 15-storey academic building, which "involves numerous green building initiatives that will classify the project to LEED Gold standard," including a “bio-filter” wall which Brun del Re describes as a "vertical surface covered with plants which filter some of the building air."
The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is a part of Canada's Economic Action Plan. It was announced in January 2009 that the program was to provide up to $2 billion to universities and colleges in Canada to work on infrastructure, according to the program website. The funding does come with a strict project completion deadline.
Michel Cimpaye, a representative from Industry Canada and the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, said the purpose of the investment was “to create jobs and upgrade research and training facilities that Canadians will enjoy for years to come.”
Carleton University also received funding from the Knowledge Infrastructure Program for the construction of two buildings. The school received over $26 million for the buildings, which are projected to cost $87 million altogether, according to Industry Canada’s web site.
The Carleton buildings will provide more classrooms and labs. According to Carleton public relations representative Amy Guest, the construction team “has committed special attention to the geotechnical subsurface and foundations on the River Building.”
Guest said Carleton ran into similar issues while trying to establish the River Building’s foundation, but she said the project is coming together and will be completed by fall 2011.
For now Brun del Re said the U of O is doing all it can to meet the deadline.
“The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is very strict,” said Brun del Re. “We are working as quickly as possible."
“The University of Ottawa has committed to complete its project as soon as possible,” Cimpaye explained. “In this case, the project does not need to be fully completed by March 2011, as the program is funding less than half ($30 million) of the total project costs of $112.5 million university, with the province and institution providing the remaining funding.”
While nothing is certain, Cimpaye said he expected the university would complete the project on time to receive the federal money.
“Based on information provided by [U of O], we expect that the university will incur sufficient costs by the end of March 2011 to receive the full $30 million contribution,” Cimpaye said.