Revelstoke City Council voted unanimously to award Gibraltar Holdings Ltd. $ 583,879 to improve accessibility to the Revelstoke Museum & Archives.
Director of Parks, Recreation & Culture Laurie Donato’s report was addressed at the April 23 council meeting.
Following an accessibility assessment and review, a feasibility study and much discussion, the board is ready to move ahead with plans to install an elevator in the building.
A vertical platform lift will be installed in the museum’s rear parking lot, which will affect the existing parlour display on the first floor and the washroom on the second floor. The scope of work will extend to making the second-floor washroom a fully accessible universal facility.
In 2021, council recommended that a letter of support in principle be provided to the Revelstoke Museum & Archives Society with respect to funding applications for the proposed elevator and that the request be considered during the 2022 budget discussions.
Consequently, the project was added to the 2022-2026 Capital Plan. The tender was issued on Feb. 12, but only one contractor showed up for a mandatory site visit on Feb. 22 and subsequently submitted a tender.
An independent consultant, Albert, Ng, P. Eng of GUNN Consultants, reviewed the tender submission and recommended the contract be awarded to Gibraltar Holdings Ltd.
The design costs were included in the 2022 Capital Plan and included joint funding between the city and Revelstoke Museum & Archives to the tune of $40,000 each. The Revelstoke Museum & Archives Board has successfully secured funding to cover the entire cost of the project, including a contingency.
“There will be no financial implications for the city regarding the capital cost for the project,” noted Donato in her report to the council. “However, annual inspection fees of approximately $ 1,000 and any maintenance required on the elevator will be added to the city’s annual operating budget for the Museum during the 2025 budget process.”
Several funding sources have made the elevator project possible: grants from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, Columbia Basin Trust, provincial Resort Municipality funding, and federal Cultural Spaces, Federal New Horizons provided a total of $625,000. Community support from individuals, businesses and community organizations raised an additional $92,200.
The total project cost excluding taxes and contingency but including GUNN Consultants procurement, management and consulting fees is $648,000. The contractor has put forward a construction schedule spanning sixteen 16 weeks.
Revelstoke Museum Curator Cathy English says she and the staff are very excited to be able to make the building truly acceptable for everyone.
English says the building the museum has occupied for 50 years is beautiful but was built in 1926 when issues of accessibility were not considered. But she points out some museum patrons have had to stop attending some programs such as the Brown Bag History program because they are held on the second floor.
English is hoping the elevator project begins soon and is grateful for the support from all sources.
“The community has been incredibly supportive and we greatly appreciate that.”