Project Description
The Municipal Hub project was designed by the multidisciplinary team of professionals led by Lapointe Magne et associés / L’OEUF and aims to eventually bring together, in one single location, the library, City Hall, a public square and an aquatic complex. City Hall and the library will be housed within the same building. The aquatic complex will be built in a later phase of the project based on the government grant programs that will be available at that time. In August 2018, the City acquired Lot 4 559 873 on Émile-Bouchard Street for the purpose of building its municipal hub—a largescale project that will combine City Hall, the library, a public square and the aquatic complex. This site is located near the Vaudreuil train station, in proximity to Centre Multisports, the major highways and the future hospital.
PHOTO: City of Vaudreuil-Dorion
The Vaudreuil-Dorion Municipal Council has awarded the construction contract for Phase 1 of the Municipal Hub – which will accommodate the library, City Hall and a public square - to the lowest bidder, Groupe Geyser, from Laval. The contract amount is $67.2M including taxes, which is consistent with the estimates made in 2022. It should be noted that a portion of the taxes (100% GST and 50% QST), approximately $6M, is reimbursed by the government. Moreover, the loan by-law revised in the spring is already approved and is sufficient to cover the expense. The decision was issued on September 19th during a regular session of The City Council.
Following the second tendering process, which was launched on May 30th and ended on September 1st, five bids were received. Recall that in June 2021, the first call for tenders was cancelled due to market conditions and the fact that only one bid had been submitted.
"We were relieved to see that several bidders had come forward. Admittedly, the price is higher than our 2020 estimates, but the latter had been made well before the price hikes. The market is completely different, and we cannot afford to delay any longer. As I have said a few times before, our city is in excellent financial health and the many investments to come, including the hospital, will generate significant revenues. We will respect our commitment to limit the impact on the tax bills of our citizens," said Mayor Guy Pilon.
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At the end of the architectural competition, launched on April 8, 2019, it was the multidisciplinary team led by Lapointe Magne et associés / L’ŒUF who drew the attention of the jury. Both a Technical Committee and a Citizen’s Committee had previously submitted their observations to the jury.
Marie-Chantal Croft, Architect and Jury Chairperson, describes the project in these words: "Through the expert integration of the city hall’s services with those of the library, and by taking the future Aquatics Complex into account ahead of time, the project is a true representation of the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion’s desire to create a Municipal Hub. A public space and a green park will serve to bring both services together into a structured whole. The project is both sensible and generous at the same time. Sensible in terms of the methods used, which promote sustainable development, and because of its structure made from wood. Generous because of its varied landscaping and architectural offerings designed on a human scale."
Renderings from the 2019 competition, of which Lapointe Magne et associés / L’ŒUF were chosen, provide some insight into the creation of the facility.
PHOTOS: City of Vaudreuil-Dorion
A grant of more than $4.8 million has already been announced by the governments of Quebec and Canada for the construction of the new library. This funding comes from the New Building Canada Fund-Quebec, Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component — Small Communities Fund. Construction work on the Municipal Hub is expected to begin this fall and be completed by the end of 2024.
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Citizens will be able to follow the evolution of the work undertaken under the Municipal Hub section of the City's website.
SOURCE: City of Vaudreuil-Dorion
