Library entrance a go despite more money

PRINCE GEORGE – “The rubber hits the road tonight.” That’s how Councillor Brian Skakun described a late-day report from Administration around the new library entrance. 
His comments come as the budget for the project is over-budget before it even got started.
Council originally approved a budget of $2.6 million but every one of the four bids that came back was over $3 million. Administration cited increases to materials and labour by as much as 15% and 20% in the past 12 to 18 months.
Administration also touched on tariffs introduced by the Trump Administration on steel and aluminium costs.
In the end, Council approved increasing the budget for the project to $3.9 million. The budget for upgrading the circulation desk has been increased from $388,000 to $410,000. 
Administration says the money will come from an Endowment Fund which was just created as the result of a one-time doubling of the federal gas tax to $6 million as well as a provincial fund for northern BC communities, of which Prince George will receive $8.1 million.