Caraquet arena that suspended engineer worked on needs $3M in fixes, mayor says
Match Engineering was subcontracted to design structure of new complex
Caraquet's mayor says it will cost about $3 million to address design issues attributed to the work of a suspended Moncton engineer.
Caraquet Mayor Bernard Thériault said the Regional Generations Centre, with a 600-seat arena and walking track, is now estimated to cost $26.5 million. Its cost has risen from a 2015 estimate of $15 million.
On top of that, the mayor said, will be the cost to correct structural issues identified by an independent engineering firm the town hired last year.
Thériault said the review by Eastern Designers & Company Ltd. identified more than 10 faults. They include a wall that needed to be reinforced, as well as steel structures and beams that needed to be brought up to standard.
"I'm not an engineer and a technician, but what I can tell you is — the big picture there, everything appears to be undersize. So she was, the design has has shown a lack of strength, lack of support," Thériault said in an interview with CBC News.
The mayor said the community has opted to continue construction and will sort out payment later. But he doesn't expect taxpayers to be on the hook.
"This amount will not be paid by taxpayers, but will have to be paid by the firm's insurance," Thériault said in French on Wednesday.
Caraquet-based Corbo Architecture, the firm which designed the structure, last year said it subcontracted structural engineering work on the complex to Match Engineering. Match's sole director is Hélène Thériaul
The Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of New Brunswick, which regulates the engineering profession, suspended Thériault's licence to practise last May.
The association said in a June 7 statement the suspension was based on "allegations of serious deficiencies in the design of multiple buildings, both constructed and under construction."
Philippe Cormier, the Corbo CEO, issued a statement to CBC News on Friday reiterating that "it is not responsible for the flawed structural plans" of the arena.
"It is regrettable that the errors made by Ingénierie Match Engineering Inc. elsewhere in the province seem to have been reproduced in the design of the structural plans for the Caraquet Regional Generations Center," Cormier said in the statement.
"Fortunately, in this case, the problems in question were discovered quickly and can be corrected immediately, without compromising public safety."
The statement says Corbo is evaluating its legal options and will pursue available remedies, if necessary, at the appropriate time.
Lawsuits have been filed against Thériault or Match alleging flaws in buildings in Dieppe, Miramichi, Shediac and Saint John.
The cases say temporary supports were added to the buildings while longer-term changes were implemented.
In some of the cases, Match has admitted under-designing parts of the buildings but has said that if building owners have suffered losses it is the fault of others like contractors.
A lawyer representing the engineer and her firm didn't respond to a request for comment. The lawyer previously said they wouldn't comment while court cases are ongoing.
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