Port Coquitlam city hall has been behind construction hoarding since November 2022 while a massive $1.3-million upgrade to Veterans Park takes place.
However, a combination of weather and construction challenges due to procurement has delayed completion of the project by a month.
Councillors were told at the Tuesday (March 28) regular public meeting that it will likely be the end of April before the project is completed.
"We've got materials on boats coming from across the country at this point and procurement has been very very challenging the last year as we all know, combined with three weeks of snow that slowed us down," said Jason Daviduk, PoCo's manager of capital projects.
He said the project is 75 per cent complete.
Crews are now working hard to finish the project, according to the city, including completing the concrete pouring this week, as well as installing irrigation, relocating the cenotaph, laying paving stones and adding finsihing touches in the coming weeks.
The final open-plan design will feature new plazas, accessible pathways, new seating and lighting, grassy spaces for public use, and a new prominent and raised cenotaph location in the centre of the park.
Special events to move
It's not the only project underway in the Port Coquitlam's downtown.
A redevelopment of Leigh Square to provide more public gathering space is in the midst of a tendering process, the city stated in an earlier news release.
The project includes a new performance pavilion at the north end and an expanded plaza with new seating decks, enhanced lighting, landscaping and a water feature.
The work will also include an extension of Donald Pathway, weaving through the site between Wilson Avenue and a new plaza on the north side of McAllister Avenue.
Site preparation and construction are expected to begin in May and take approximately a year.
City council approved two permits on Tuesday in anticipation for the work to begin, including a variance to setbacks to allow for the construction of the new pavilion.
Due to anticipated construction at Leigh Square, the May Day Party in the Square event on May 13 will take place at Terry Fox Hometown Square off Mary Hill Road and Kelly Avenue.
The Port Coquitlam Farmers Market kicking off June 1 will return to that location, as well.
