Ontario Civic Center to Get Upgrades, Including External Elevator

The front entrance plaza of the Ronald A. Irwin Civic Centre in Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada, will receive upgrades that include replacing the downtown landmark’s dangerously compromised concrete stairs, exterior waterproofing of an underground garage, removing an accessibility ramp and adding an external passenger elevator, SOOToday reports. A 2020 conditions assessment of the civic center made a number of recommendations. Three prequalified contractors were invited to bid on the work, and Ontario Concrete Finishing (Soo) Ltd. won the bid. Ontario Concrete has identified six subcontractors that will work on the Civic Centre project, including KLP Elevators and Lifts Ltd. (Thunder Bay). It was asked if a wheelchair ramp would be possible instead of an elevator, but city officials said the elevator didn’t require “a huge significant premium” versus the ramp. The work is set to begin on May 1 and be complete by the middle of September.