The City of Penticton will be spending nearly $200,000 to replace the roof and skylight on the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, adding another 20-plus years to its lifespan.
That comes after a unanimous vote from city council Tuesday afternoon in favour of the proposal by facilities manager Bregje Kozak, who said the roof was near the end of its projected lifespan.
“It’s in various stages of maintenance, and it’s about 20 to 25 years old,” Kozak told council, noting a study conducted on the building last fall. “The skylight and the roof section above the exhibit hall, which is at the front of the building, … that area was deemed as one of the highest priorities, and the consultant did recommend the replacement in 2017.”
In particular, the skylight is beginning to deteriorate, according to Kozak, which could pose a safety risk for employees and guests. She also pointed to some leaking, which has until recently been minimal, but getting worse.
On top of fixing some issues, Kozak said the new roof and skylight would bring the skylight up to code, with some new building codes added since its completion.
The project is estimated at $190,000, including all contingencies, and wasn’t originally part of the 2017 budget, due to other priorities. But since the budget was set up, Kozak noted there have been some savings found in other projects that can help pay for the project.
The piecemeal funding is coming from bits and pieces in other projects, including several other PTCC renovation projects, like carpet replacement. As well, the city yards roof replacement project has been awarded to a local company at a cost well under budget, according to Kozak.
Coun. Judy Sentes pointed to the building’s underuse as a convention hall, but with two new hotels recently approved on Eckhardt Ave. and a new hotel tower at the Penticton Lakeside Resort, that could change.
“I think it’s prudent on our part to make sure the facility is up to par, so that as we vie for conventions and the like, we feel confident that we have a facility that is up to speed,” Sentes said. “I’m happy to endorse this and applaud your efforts to keep our facilities in the pristine state that they need to be, when sometimes that’s not always easy.”
Council voted unanimously in favour of the project.
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