EDMONTON — Clark Builders is the new construction manager for the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital project.
Graham Construction was removed from the $763-million project in September by Alberta Infrastructure after clashing with the ministry over delays and cost overruns.
At the time Graham left the project, the exterior was finished and the interior of the hospital was approximately 75 per cent complete.
The province invited new bidders for the project and Clark was chosen to resume construction, Alberta Infrastructure announced earlier this month.
“Clark Builders provided an excellent submission to our RFP and has a proven record in completing complex health care facilities. Clark Builders has just successfully completed work on the Stanton Territorial Hospital Renewal project in Yellowknife,” a release stated.
Initial work is expected to begin shortly, and construction activity will resume in January. Once construction resumes, 300 to 400 workers are expected for the project. A new schedule will be worked out in the next few months.
“We are taking this phased-in approach to allow the new construction manager time to mobilize the site and to finalize agreements with the subtrades,” the release stated.
Alberta Infrastructure will work with Clark to employ the existing trades on the project to see if they want to bid on a new contract and if other trades are required. The release said the ministry welcomed local vendors, suppliers and subcontractors.
The new construction fees are within the current capital budget, the release stated, and the budget of the project will remain at $763 million as per the existing capital plan.
Alberta Infrastructure Minister Sandra Jansen asked Graham in July to provide a revised plan but the government determined that plan would not get the project back on track.
Graham issued a statement following its termination from the project stating it had told the province it couldn’t be done under the current budget given design changes consisting of 600 change orders and more than 400 design clarifications.
The contract with Graham began in 2011 under the former Progressive Conservative government. The initial cost of the project was $250 million.
— With files from the Canadian Press
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