Work has begun on the renovations to the North Perth administration building, despite running into an unexpected problem with hazardous material.
Building committee chair Robert Martin said small amounts of asbestos were found when the Department of Labour tested the building, and a company has been hired to remove the material. Martin said contractors will need to resubmit tenders due to the change in scope of the project.
“It has changed the scope of the work that’s being done,” Martin said. “We’re going back to the contractors who bid for that work and ask them to resubmit.”
The asbestos was found in the drywall, ceiling tiles, floor tiles and stucco of the old administration building. Martin said the project hasn’t been delayed much at all since the affected areas were being renovated anyway.
“It hasn’t really held it up that much because the asbestos was in material that was going to be taken out anyway,” he said. “That company has just come in and started taking it out.”
There remains no health risk due to the presence of asbestos, Martin said, and that the company was hired to properly dispose of it.
“Unless it’s disturbed, asbestos has no health risk,” Martin said. “The reason for getting the company to take it out is they’re equipped to take it out and bag it the proper way.”
After clearing the building of asbestos. Martin said the first priority of the renovations is to finish the upper floor of staff offices and allow them to move from the temporary trailers on the municipal building lawn. Secondly, the old fire hall will be constructed for the new council chambers. In the meantime, access to the administration building will be limited to the southwest entrance and the rear sliding doors will be locked off. Martin said that exceptions will be made for people with accessibility issues, and the elevator can be reached by calling ahead to the office.
“It will be open to anyone that requires police services and are in a wheelchair,” Martin said.