Ontario Construction News staff writer
A London company has been chosen to build the Brant Community Health Hub in Paris.
Brant County councillors voted last week to award a $10.6 million contract to Norlon Builders. The company submitted the lowest of seven bids received by the county for the project. The highest bid was just under $12 million.
“This is going to be a great project and a game changer for the residents of our community,” Coun. Steve Howes wrote on Twitter after the virtual meeting. “Many local people, county staff past and present (and) council members have contributed to getting this project to this exciting stage.
“As well all move forward into our post-pandemic lives, I know that health is going to be a top priority for everyone and this is a strong step in that direction.”
Councillors called the project fantastic news for the community. Critically, the facility will enable the County to attract and retain physicians, who currently have limited facility options in the County.
Norlon is a medium-sized general contracting firm with significant experience in construction of public sector medical facilities including Middlesex County Emergency Medical Multipurpose Facility, a 46,000 square foot medical building similar in size and scope to the Brant Community Health Hub.
Other recent projects include 340,000 square feet of buildings for Western University including their Academic Nursing, Engineering and Physics & Astronomy buildings with a combined construction value of over $100 million.
Edge Architects supported the award to Norlon.
Plans include a 42,000-square-foot community health hub to be built on Curtis Avenue North in Paris.
Site work is expected to being in July and last until spring or early summer 2021.
However, a staff report advised that COVID-19 continues to impact services and supplies in all sectors of the economy including construction and it may impact construction plans for the health hub.
Lease agreements signed include PrimaCare Community Family Health Team, Cobblestone Medicine and Rehab Centre, Northville Pharmacy, Brantford Radiology and Sound Choice Hearing Health Services. A lease with Life Labs is expected to be signed by June 30.
County councillors also awarded a $585,182 contract to Navacon Construction Inc., of Brantford, to reconstruct a portion of Curtis Avenue North, install low pressure sewers for the Curtis Avenue North industrial park and replace a failing storm sewer outlet near Dundas Street East.
Construction of the health hub will result in increased traffic in the area, the staff report concluded.
Council also approved moving $140,000 from the approved 2020 budget earmarked for the Cedar Street reconstruction project to the Curtis Avenue North project.
The Cedar Street project has been pushed to 2021 because the opportunity for public input for the work had been missed.