Many municipalities are faced with the challenge of maintaining and repairing aging building portfolios while at the same time having to prioritize and distribute limited budgets.
A capital plan is a basic part of the due diligence required to manage such capital assets. In general, it provides the information required to critically assess budget requirements and priorities, outlining how money will be spent over a period of time.
A capital plan is typically required by the provincial government if a municipality wishes to request provincial funding for the repair or replacement of municipal facilities.
Morrison Hershfield completed condition assessments of 30 buildings on 22 sites to develop a recommended 25-year capital plan for the City of Sault Ste. Marie. We worked with the City Finance Department to develop a feasible 10-year funding plan by priority to manage the work required.
Over 800,000 sf was assessed in total, with individual buildings ranging from 700 sf to 134,000 sf. Ages of the facilities range from 2 years old to over 200 years old and the portfolio includes office buildings, recreation facilities, library, museums, senior’s and children’s centres, emergency services buildings, public works complex, transit buildings, and a cemetery chapel.
The facilities were evaluated based on a review of provided plans and documentation, operations staff interviews, and a visual non-destructive review of a sampling elements including structure, building envelope, fire safety, plumbing, HVAC systems, electrical systems, elevators, and ground and site conditions.
The final plan tabulates and prioritizes recommendations for capital repairs and replacements over $5,000 that should be budgeted for over the next 25 years.
Morrison Hershfield provided clear, concise and easy to use reports that allow the City’s finance department to integrate them with other funding reports and to sort and filter projects by building and by year.
The experience of the project team was evident when presenting findings and recommendations, and in their ability to adapt to new developments as the project unfolded.
The City Finance Department has approved the capital plan, and is currently working with City Council to get the 2014 budget approved. Morrison Hershfield is continuing to assist the City with energy savings calculations, and a proposal for further investigations regarding one of the buildings requiring work, the Civic Centre.
Additional details are found in the following articles in the Sault Star and at SOOTODAY.com.
