PHOTO: The Revelstoke Court House dome renovation project will take another three weeks to complete, said City of Revelstoke public works manager Darren Komonoski. Currently, contractor Mid-City Roofing is applying a ‘cool mint green’ rubber coating to the dome, and are using lights to work into the evening (pictured left) to complete the project as soon as possible.
Because temperatures have dropped, the contractors are now heating the enclosure that is covering the dome to a constant temperature of eight degrees Celsius. This temperature will allow the rubber membrane to set properly. Komonoski said the cooler temperatures aren't expected to adversely impact the quality of the covering.
The roof renovation project was prompted after leaks and other aging was discovered in the dome in 2011. It set off a debate about whether to replace the copper roof with a new one, or repair the roof with the rubber membrane. Late this summer, when crews began removing paint from the dome, lead was discovered in the paint, delaying the project for months because additional remediation steps were required.
At that point, some city councillors expressed concern that a $12,000 consultant’s report on the roof repair didn’t flag the possibility of lead paint in a 100-year-old building.
When the rubber-versus-copper debate was ongoing, the rubber option was forecast to cost $125,000–$150,000. The project is now expected to cost closer to $375,000.
Komonoski said recent delays are caused by the contractor underestimating the time required to install the rubber membrane, and delays caused by mandatory work stoppages when court is in session.
For a full history of the Revelstoke Court House renovation project, see the links below. These stories are the main chapters in the renovation project; the Times Review has also produced council briefs about the project:
Revelstoke Courthouse roof wrap to stay until October, August, 2013
Photo gallery of work on Court House roof, June, 2013
Revelstoke Courthouse roof reno underway, June, 2013
Revelstoke Courthouse dome to get ‘cool mint’ makeover, May, 2013
Courthouse roof restoration hibernates for the winter, September, 2012
UPDATE: City council approves rubber roof option for Revelstoke Courthouse, June 2012