Council didn't know, so citizens couldn't know.
The "real" date for the aquatic center's grand opening has always been
January 2010, per the project's architect and as defined in a contract.
Never mind that the town's web site had published earlier dates, some declaring an opening as early as two and a half years ago. Never mind that
HokieSports reported a contract in August 2005 with a Summer 2007 opening.
Never mind that several council members are quoted in
official minutes as saying an August 2005
Roanoke Times newspaper report on the facility was "well written" and provided the public with an accurate update.
Never mind that Councilman Barber, who was present at this project's conception, thanked citizens for their patience in November 2002 yet himself asked for an update two years later. He personally doesn't think anyone questioning the wisdom behind this project will ever enter the building.
Never mind that council was briefed by the town attorney on a
potential "public-private" partnership to construct the facility in January 2006. Never mind that this approach to building a multi-million dollar facility was a first for the town, the architect and the contractor (who would ultimately "sell" the building back to the town).
Council and citizens should ask when that document -- with a contracted completion date -- was actually signed. The
Virginia Tech lease agreement reported in 2005 didn't get inked until this April. They might also ask why this little detail -- a contracted completion date -- was never before disclosed to them, or taxpayers. Especially when an October 2009 date most recently came from
Finance Committee discussions when the
proposed budget included 12 months of funding for a facility that wasn't open.
Citizens can scratch their heads on why town insiders -- elected officials and many who had prior experience on the Planning Commission, and even the personnel now being
hired to manage this facility -- were as
clueless as everyone else. Citizens may be confounded on why something this complex and expensive appears to have been determined solely by the Town Manager. Who knew that much authority had been delegated to an employee by our elected representatives? Where is this contract and does it hold any other surprises?
The good citizens of the town need not be concerned; however, about a scoreboard and timing system that will cost "just a smidge" under a half-million dollars. A
fund raising effort by the town brought in about 1/4 of the cost, with the architect drumming up the other donors. So no tax dollars went towards that, but it couldn't be ordered until the pledges (or money) was in hand. Who knew the county's public school system was kicking in $60,000?
The good citizens of Christiansburg should be pleased that the very complex and sophisticated security and wiring systems will allow ESPN to pull up, plug in and broadcast live -- just like at Cassell Coliseum or Lane Stadium. Unlike those two facilities; however, there was no wealthy alumni or university foundation to pick up the cost of these upgrades.
The
January 2010 opening date is still subject to change based on when the lights are installed. Those were due last week (not from a local specialty lighting manufacturer located about two miles from Town Hall). Once they do arrive and are installed with a special 50 foot boom, the drainage and conduit trenches can be buried in concrete. The concrete would not withstand the weight of that boom.
From that point, it will take a minimum of 14 weeks to complete everything else -- presuming that a fabricator for specialized bleachers can be found (four companies have been unable to build to stated specifications) and if a sub-contractor for laying the conduit can be identified and have a work crew ready to go at a moment's notice.
And don't forget hunting season -- another week will be lost because in
"these parts" everything stops when it is time to hunt the bucks. Something close to an apology was made for a
report to council three months ago, saying the message given was equal to "playing to the choir" and saying what they thought council wanted to hear.
Rest assured -- there will be no more embarrassments for council, as this facility is promised to
be uncomparable to anything else on the eastern seaboard. Or so we're told, today.