PACC construction met with leaks and delays; new completion date set for June

PERHAM — Despite a predicted completion date of late 2022 or early 2023, the Perham Area Community Center construction project has experienced a number of delays . Due to shipping issues, roof leaks and a new parking lot project, the PACC's construction is now expected to be completed around mid-to-late June. Representatives from Hammers Construction and BHH Partners presented an update on the project and its delays at the April 10 Perham City Council meeting.

The brand-new Adventureland, the play area addition for children at the PACC, recently had to close due to leaks and flooding. A reopening date is not yet set, and the extent of damage is not yet known, said PACC Executive Director Leigh Shebeck. Workers are currently putting together a list of needed repairs.

While the leak in the playland is new, the building also had existing issues with old roof leaks, causing water to recently enter the building in the old studio space, the new fitness area and a number of roof curves. Hammers Construction shared they believe this to be due to the buildup of snow and ice throughout the winter followed by a sudden thaw.

"Basically, (we're) just doing roof inspections and seeing what we can find," said Shane Hendrickson, project manager with Hammers Construction. "We've had a number of guys up there looking at it. Throughout the winter, we had about 6 to 7 inches of ice on the roof, and the whole roof was covered in water. That needed to be cleared off … There were a number of issues that were existing, so it's kind of a process of elimination. The playland was leaking, but a lot of it was coming from the ground, basically, because there was an 8-foot drift in the front of the building. So that was part of it. There's a couple of roof leaks up there, and we're investigating those. We're not 100% sure where they're coming from right now, but we're looking into it."

Hendrickson and others at Hammers are currently completing inspections to pinpoint the exact reasons behind the leaks. That way, they will be able to create preventative measures to keep the PACC from flooding each spring.

On top of the leaks, construction was already a little behind schedule due to the project's three-phase structure. In order to keep most of the PACC open during remodels, construction was split into three separate parts. However, the largest cause of construction delays has been due to shipping issues.

"The metal panels on the outside of the building — they were supposed to be delivered in January, and we didn't get them until a week and a half ago," Hendrickson explained. "We had some material delays, and we were kind of behind schedule with the phasing portion."

Despite shipping issues, phasing, leaks and other delays, the PACC is still getting close to completion. Hendrickson mentioned that they're still waiting on some lighting for the new therapy pool, and the front entrance is almost entirely complete except for a few minor details, such as cabinet tops. The newly arrived metal paneling still needs to be mounted onto the exterior, and the front parking lot will be redone with new pavement, which was officially approved and added to the project earlier this winter.

The new predicted opening date for the front of the PACC, including the therapy pool and parking lot, will likely be around mid-to-late June, Hendrickson said.

At the meeting, the council also discussed:

• The city approved an amendment to ordinance 228 following a public hearing. This ordinance outlines an alternative to traditional criminal charges for violations of city code provisions. The changes to the ordinance are:
  
  • Violators will now have 10 days (instead of seven) to make the payment required for their penalty.
    
  • Now, violators may also request a hearing within seven days of being issued the notice. A hearing officer (a city employee designated in writing by the city manager) then has the authority to sustain, reduce or waive the penalty.
• The city approved an amendment to ordinance 286 following a public hearing. This ordinance defines the minimum requirements regarding public health, safety, comfort and general welfare for land use within city limits. The specific change added to the ordinance is: "Properties developed prior to 1959 may increase impervious up to an additional 10% coverage if they meet additional drainage requirements."
  
• The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for May 8 at 5:15 p.m., and the next committee of the whole meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26, at 5:15 p.m.