/Minden Hills penalizes Fowler Construction 

Minden Hills penalizes Fowler Construction 


By Chad Ingram

Published Dec. 15 2016


Minden Hills council has denied a request from Fowler Construction that the company get an extended timeline on a contract to relocate and expand a quonset hut near the arena and will fine the company $500 a day until the work is completed.


During a Dec. 8 meeting councillors received a request from the company asking that the township give it until Dec. 14 to complete the job despite Nov. 30 being the date of completion laid out in the contract for the project.

“Due to circumstances beyond the control of Fowler Construction we are requesting an extension of time to the above noted contract” read the request dated Nov. 23.


However council did not agree that the circumstances were beyond the company’s control.

“There was no work on it for two or three days after the building was moved” community services director Mark Coleman told councillors. Coleman added that “this request came out of the blue to me.”


“The reasons for the delay are within the control of Fowler” said Reeve Brent Devolin adding the company is a large one.


Councillor Jean Neville said complete work within the specified time limit of a contract is part of fulfilling a contract

“That’s one of the requirements of a tender” Neville said. “I could see that you might get backlash from other tender applicants.”


Council voted to enforce the contract as it’s written meaning Fowler will pay the township $500 a day in damages until the work is complete.


The township paid Fowler $150000 for the relocation and expansion of the quonset hut. The hut had been located near the S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena in the area where the Pine Grove Place affordable housing complex is under construction. While $80000 had been budgeted for the project it required the pouring of an engineered concrete pad at the hut’s new home near the ball diamonds. That part of the project cost nearly $75000.