I. Project Proponent: Town of Harbour Grace
The Town of Harbour Grace is the municipal governing body for the community of Harbour Grace, located in Conception Bay North, Newfoundland and Labrador.
II. Background/Context
Built as early as 1884, Otterbury Schoolhouse was a traditional, one-room educational institution for Roman Catholic youth in the Riverhead and Otterbury areas. The school was located on Water Street West, in the Otterbury district. Like other schools of its era, it was heated by a wood-burning stove. There was an outdoor washroom and all students were responsible for helping keep the school clean.
The school officially closed in 1969. The Harbour Grace Historical Society remodelled the deteriorated structure in the late 1990s. Years later, further repairs were needed, and in the spring of 2010, the schoolhouse was then moved to its current location, near the Kearney Tourist Chalet and the SS Kyle. The exterior was recently repainted in the fall of 2021.
Otterbury Schoolhouse has aesthetic value due to its vernacular architectural style. This one-room building has a steep, gable roof and is built with narrow wooden clapboard. The school also features wide corner boards and a wide water table. The windows, of which there are three on the main façade, are 6/6 double hung type. They have plain moulding with a small, eared raincap over top. The main door is wood plank construction and the trim is comprised of plain, flat mouldings with a small, eared raincap above the door. A small porch once extended from the rear of the building.
Otterbury Schoolhouse was designated a Municipal Heritage Site by the Town of Harbour Grace due to its historic and aesthetic value on January 10, 2006 and on September 20, 2022, during an updating of the Municipal Heritage Site Designation Regulations.
In 2020, the municipality held discussions regarding Otterbury Schoolhouse’s revitalization and adaptive reuse. 2021 marked the formation of the Earhart’s 50+ Club, a local seniors club in Harbour Grace, whose programming involves active living, social events, and education. The long-term vision is for Otterbury Schoolhouse to become a seniors-focused multipurpose space, under the stewardship of the Earhart’s 50+ Club, with additional opportunities to interpret the municipality’s recently designated Conservation Area (CA), the Harbour Grace Estuary.
III. Scope of Work
As part of the noted revitalization plans, the Town of Harbour Grace is seeking bids from qualified contractors for the construction of an exterior accessible washroom extension (10’-6” x 11’) at Otterbury Schoolhouse, Municipal Heritage Site. This washroom will be attached to the existing structure on the southwest side of the building.
Design plans for the exterior washroom addition can be viewed in person at the Town Hall, 112 Water Street, Harbour Grace, NL, or online on our website: https://townofharbourgrace.ca/site/uploads/2023/04/2023-otterbury-construction-drawings.pdf.
The contractor will be responsible for arranging the required concrete foundation; ensuring the extension is connected to the building’s existing electrical panel; and installing gyprock, insulation, and the required fittings for interior plumbing. The siding and shingles of the extension must approximate those of the existing building.
The contractor will not be responsible for purchasing and installing the noted washroom fixtures in the design plans.
The Town of Harbour Grace will be responsible for ensuring the extension is connected to municipal water and sewer services.
IV. Qualifications
An experienced, qualified contractor is sought to construct the washroom extension at Otterbury Schoolhouse, Municipal Heritage Site.
V. Bid Requirements
1. A project budget/bid, inclusive of all expenses, including HST/GST.
2. A project schedule/timeline.
3. A list of two references for whom similar work was undertaken.
The Town of Harbour Grace is not obliged to accept the lowest or any bid.
Sealed bids should be mailed or delivered in person to:
Town of Harbour Grace
Attn: Matthew G. McCarthy, EDO
P.O. Box 310
112 Water Street
Harbour Grace, NL A0A 2M0
Sealed bids should clearly note the project title: “Otterbury Schoolhouse Washroom Extension Project.”
Deadline for submission: Monday, June 19, 2023, at 12 p.m. (noon)
Site visits can be arranged until 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, June 16, by contacting the Town Hall at (709) 596-3631 ext. 4.
Written questions may be directed to [email protected] until Thursday, June 15, 4:00 p.m. The bidder may also request a summary of all questions received and answered by contacting this email.
Bids will be opened publicly on Monday, June 19, at 12 p.m. (noon) at the Town Hall, 112 Water Street, Harbour Grace, NL.
Proof of the following certifications must be provided to the Town of Harbour Grace before commencing any work:
i. Certificate of Contractor General Liability Insurance
ii. Letter of good standing from Workplace NL
iii. Certified OH&S Training for either OH&S Committee or OH&S Representative (dependent on company size)
iv. Staff supplied to the job site to have appropriate certification to work from heights (ie., Fall Protection)