St. Albert city council unanimously approved spending $112,700 more than budgeted to replace the artificial turf at Larry Olexiuk Field in Riel Park during the June 6 council meeting.
The increase bumps the project's overall budget to just over $1 million, according to a council backgrounder prepared by Louise Stewart, a senior manager with the city's public works department.
The turf replacement was approved as part of the 2023 city budget after multiple quality assessments of the turf done in recent years found “the field is nearing an unsafe condition for athletes,” Stewart's report says.
The budget increase was necessary, Stewart wrote, because after the city issued a request for proposals from qualified contractors earlier this year, the lowest but still compliant bid the city received for the project was $112,700 more than the project's initial budget of $925,200.
The current turf was installed in 2008 and hosted its first football game in 2009.
The $112,700 will be funded through the city's capital reserve.
