Seeley’s Bay hall getting upgrades
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story inaccurately suggested the Seeley’s Bay Hall is closing.
The Seeley’s Bay Hall is not closing – in fact, it’s getting a much-needed upgrade.
At its recent meeting in Lansdowne, Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands council approved the award of a tender for the replacement and retrofit of the aging HVAC system at the Seeley’s Bay Hall. The contract was awarded to Ubcon Construction Limited in the amount of $98,222.82, inclusive of net HST.
“This is great to see a local contractor get the contract,” said Deputy Mayor Terry Fodey during the meeting.
Originally identified for replacement in 2023 and budgeted as part of the 2024 capital plan, the HVAC system has become increasingly unreliable, with operational costs climbing year after year. A previous tender issued in 2024 received no bids, prompting staff to adjust the scope of the project. The redesign reflects anticipated changes to the building’s use, with the Fire Department vacating the premises.
The upgrade will include a new 15-ton Carrier rooftop unit (RTU) that will connect to the existing ductwork. The propane-fired furnace is intended to reduce electrical load during emergency situations. Supporting work includes installation of a new cement pad, privacy fencing, and interior lobby vestibule alterations.
The tender closed April 11, with two bids submitted: Ubcon Construction Limited at $98,222.82, and McCann Mechanical Inc. at $132,055.37. Staff confirmed Ubcon’s submission meets all technical specifications.
The project will be funded from the township’s 2025 capital budget, which allocated $128,300 for HVAC and lighting upgrades. With the HVAC work coming in well under budget, funds remain available for lighting improvements at the hall.
This investment reinforces the township’s commitment to the long-term future of the Seeley’s Bay Hall as a vital community space.
Coun. Jeff Lackie, however, did question the matter.
“If we don’t know what we’re doing with it yet, seems like a lot of money to put in there,” said Lackie. “I understand that it’s costing us greatly for repairs, but should we wait?”
Director of operations and infrastructure David Holliday chimed in.
“It’s not costing us to operate it, it doesn’t work, said Holliday. “Last year we were able to cobble it together, get it to work, but this year, the changes we had to make in order to work over the winter, have rendered it useless for the summer. We have to do this in order for (it) to work throughout the summer. We don’t have a choice at this point. With this project, what we’ve designed for the entire building, the whole envelope, when we did the mechanical design, this is only the portion that serves upstairs. We currently have four different systems that run the heating and cooling for that facility, and this is one of those systems that only serve the community hall upstairs, and this will allow us to continue to use the hall.”
Coun. Monique Antoine-Hartley asked if the RFP had gone out for consultants in regards to what the township will, be doing with the building – in terms of the visionary project for it.
Holliday responded, after checking bids and tenders, saying: “right now, we’re at 42; there’s a lot of interest in this project; we should get some competitive bids.”