Questions still need answers on Complex

April 16, 2015 · 0 Comments

(Re: Some changes eyed as Complex complaints continue over reno, April 10)

Mr. Jackson has asked some very good questions regarding the Aurora Family Leisure Complex (AFLC) renovations. Who is responsible? How did all this get approved? Isn’t it time we found out?
Councillor Abel seems to be downplaying the magnitude of the issues, but, in all the years I have been reading the local papers, I can’t remember an issue stirring up so many letters and so many people talking about all the issues.
While Councillor Abel seems to think we are on the right track, it must be pointed out that this reno started out as an estimated $4.2M project. Back in late 2012, two options were presented. Option 1 was the re-purposing of AFLC and re-locating the Fitness Centre to the Stronach Aurora Recreation Complex. This option was shown to have capital costs of $4.8M. Option 2 was the addition to the AFLC at a capital cost of $4.2M.
As I understand it, Council chose Option 2, the lower of the two in costs. From that point, the costs continued to escalate. Once the costs of Option 2 exceeded those of Option 1, why did Council not then revert to Option 2? Since Mayor Dawe was also the Mayor during that term, perhaps he can answer that.
There have been a litany of complaints and concerns over the facility. As one member put it to me on Saturday, he is not mad or upset, just sad over the whole project. We both are long-time members and all we wanted was a basic, functional and clean facility.
It is time that either or any of the Directors or Mayor Dawe provided to the residents a complete and detailed list of complaints, what is being done to address them, who will be paying for them and when will they be completed. And while we are on the path of disclosure, perhaps we also need a detailed list of how the costs escalated to $7.5M.

Juergen Daurer
Aurora

(Editor’s Note: Last Friday, the Town of Aurora scheduled a Special Council Meeting for Tuesday, April 14, to address concerns surrounding the Aurora Family Leisure Complex, including a half-hour “open forum” set aside for members of the community to come forward with their thoughts before the official start of the meeting. For full coverage of the session, look for next week’s edition of The Auroran.)