Weyburn Leisure Centre: Project Updates

February 1 – April 1, 2026 (≈ 2 months)
Set the foundation and governance for project success

Key Activities:

• Establish formal Project Governance Structure
  • Define roles, decision authority, escalation paths, and Council reporting
  • Confirm Steering Committee and working group membership
• Develop and approve the Project Charter
  • Confirm project objectives, success criteria, constraints, assumptions, and risks
  • Align expectations across Council, Administration, and key stakeholders
• Prepare the Project Management Plan
  • Define scope control, cost control, schedule management, risk and change management processes
• Facilitate a Project Planning Workshop
  • Bring City departments, stakeholders, and advisors together to align on priorities
• Confirm delivery methodology
  • Evaluate Design‑Bid‑Build, Design‑Build, Construction Management options
  • Recommend approach best aligned with cost, schedule, risk, and City capacity
• Develop a high‑level procurement and engagement strategy
  • Design team procurement approach
  • Stakeholder and user engagement framework

Key Outcomes:

• Clear governance and accountability
• Approved project roadmap
• Agreed‑upon budget framework, schedule targets, and risk strategy

April 1, 2026 – August 1, 2027 (≈ 16 months)
Design the facility, control costs, and select construction partners

Key Activities:

• Procure and manage the design consultant team
  • Architectural, engineering, cost, and specialty consultants
• Manage design progression through defined milestones
  • Concept and schematic design
  • Design development
  • Construction‑ready documents
• Lead structured design review workshops
  • Confirm alignment with program needs, accessibility, operations, and maintenance
  • Identify cost drivers and value‑engineering opportunities
• Maintain budget alignment
  • Continuous cost estimating and reconciliation with the project budget
  • Adjust scope or design early to avoid later overruns
• Coordinate stakeholder and user input
  • City operations staff, aquatics staff, accessibility stakeholders
• Prepare and manage contractor pre‑qualification
  • Ensure only capable, experienced builders are invited to bid
• Administer tendering and evaluation process
  • Review submissions for compliance, pricing, and value
  • Recommend preferred contractor for award
  • Finalize contract terms, schedules, and risk allocation

Key Outcomes:

• Fully coordinated, buildable design
• Construction partner selected through a fair and transparent process
• Confirmed construction budget and baseline schedule

August 1, 2027 – July 31, 2029 (≈ 24 months)
Deliver the facility safely, on time, and within budget

Key Activities:

• Mobilization and site setup oversight
  • Review contractor logistics, safety, and staging plans
• Chair regular construction and project team meetings
  • Track progress, issues, and decisions
• Monitor schedule, cost, and quality performance
  • Site inspections and progress verification
  • Ongoing cost tracking and forecasting
• Administer change management
  • Evaluate scope changes, pricing, and schedule impacts
  • Support City decision‑making on changes
• Oversee quality assurance and control
  • Confirm work complies with drawings, specifications, and codes
• Coordinate inspections and approvals
  • Liaise with authorities having jurisdiction
• Certify contractor progress payments
  • Ensure payments align with verified progress
• Provide regular reporting to City Administration and Council
  • Budget status, schedule status, risks, and key issues

Key Outcomes:

• Construction completed to required quality standards
• Costs and schedule actively controlled
• Issues resolved early to avoid delays or cost escalation

August 1 – September 1, 2029 (≈ 1 month, plus warranty period)
Transition from construction to operations

Key Activities:

• Manage deficiency identification and correction
  • Track and close deficiencies before opening
• Oversee system commissioning
  • Pool systems, mechanical, electrical, and life‑safety systems
• Coordinate staff training and operational readiness
  • Facility systems, maintenance protocols, and safety procedures
• Support facility turnover
  • Manuals, warranties, as‑built drawings, and documentation
• Finalize financial close‑out
  • Release holdbacks, close contracts, finalize funding claims
• Monitor warranty issues post‑opening

Key Outcomes:

• Fully operational, tested, and commissioned facility
• Smooth transition to City operations staff
• Reduced post‑opening disruptions

Building an aquatic facility is a large and complex project. A project management firm provides specialized expertise, independent oversight, and full‑time focus to help ensure the facility is delivered on time, on budget, and to the right quality standards.

Yes. City staff are highly skilled in delivering daily services and managing City operations. However, major facilities like an aquatic centre are built only once every few decades and require highly specialized construction and technical experience that most municipalities do not need year‑round.

The firm acts as the City’s representative and advocate by:

Managing the overall schedule, budget, and risks
Coordinating designers, contractors, and consultants
Reviewing costs and change requests
Ensuring work meets safety and quality standards
Reporting clearly to City Administration and Council.

No. All key decisions remain with City Council and Administration.  The project management firm provides expert advice and recommendations so City leaders can make informed, transparent decisions.

Project managers work only for the City—not for builders or designers. Their role is to:

• Identify risks early
• Prevent cost overruns where possible
• Ensure fair procurement and pricing
• Make sure the City gets full value for its investment

Managing a project of this size and complexity requires constant oversight, technical knowledge, and contract management. A dedicated project manager helps avoid mistakes, delays, and disputes that can increase costs and disrupt timelines.

Firms like Colliers manage aquatic and recreation facilities across Canada. This allows Weyburn to benefit from lessons learned in other communities, helping avoid common issues and make better long‑term decisions.

Yes. Municipalities across Saskatchewan and Canada routinely hire project management firms for major infrastructure projects to reduce risk, improve accountability, and deliver better outcomes for residents.

The firm will support the project from early planning through design, construction, commissioning, and the facility’s opening—ensuring continuity and accountability throughout the entire process.