For Immediate Release - August 13, 2009
BURLINGTON, ON –The City of Burlington has chosen Endicott brick for the new Burlington Performing Arts Centre based on a recommendation from world-renowned architect Diamond + Schmitt, and to comply with purchasing policy.
“We looked at other bricks but determined, with the help of the award-winning team at Diamond + Schmitt, that the Endicott brick is long-lasting, consistent with high architectural design standards and will complement a building the size of the new Burlington Performing Arts Centre,” said Leo DeLoyde, General Manager of Development and Infrastructure.
The centre under construction at Elgin and Locust Street is being designed by Diamond + Schmitt Architects Inc. and will feature a 730-seat main stage theatre, a 225-seat studio theatre, atrium space and an event patio. It will also include a six-storey fly tower allowing Burlington to host a wide variety of productions when it opens in 2011.
In June 2009, the project management team for the Burlington Performing Arts Centre was asked to reconsider Hanson Brick as the brick supplier for the project. The team asked architect Diamond + Schmitt Architects Inc. to provide a written technical and cost analysis of the three brick suppliers that were considered at the time of tender in February 2009, including bricks from Endicott Clay Products Co. in Fairbury, Nebraska and an additional brick product, I.XL Brick, manufactured in Alberta and distributed from Midland, Ontario.
On July 6, 2009, the city’s Community Development Committee considered an offer by Hanson Brick to provide the brick for the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Hanson is based in Charlotte, North Carolina with plants in Burlington, Ont., and Quebec.
Based on the analysis of the bricks, the project management team for the Burlington Performing Arts Centre continued to support the use of Endicott brick, which they found to be technically superior to the Hanson brick. The Endicott brick is to be supplied by Thames Valley Brick & Tile of Burlington.
Mayor Cam Jackson in April 2009 asked city staff to reconsider Hanson Brick for use in the new Burlington Performing Arts Centre and report back to council with the results.
The city’s purchasing policy supports buying Canadian goods where possible. The council-approved procurement bylaw states:
The City will endeavour to achieve Best Value in its commercial transactions.With this in mind the City will not be bound to purchase goods or services based upon Canadian content.
The City will endeavour to achieve Best Value in its commercial transactions. As a consequence the City will not practice local preference in awarding purchases. This will allow the City to comply with the Discriminatory Business Practices Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter D12.
Jack Diamond, principal with Diamond + Schmitt, wrote in a letter to Leo DeLoyde on May 29, 2009 that the architect balanced buying Canadian with choosing the best brick for the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
“Our clear preference is for local and Canadian manufacturers,” Diamond said. “However, overriding concern is the architecture of the building and its place in the community.”
“We have been through a very fair bid process, selected a contractor and a construction contract has been signed. I wish to reiterate that we did try to use Hanson bricks if at all possible, but found no match that met our objective.”
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is being built near Spencer Smith Park, home of Canada’s largest Ribfest and the Sound of Music festival, two top Ontario festivals. It is near the Waterfront at Downtown Burlington, a popular destination for Burlington residents and visitors on the shore of Lake Ontario.
A LEED-certified building (leadership in energy and environmental design), it is destined to be Ontario’s first stand-alone green performing arts centre. The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is expected to generate economic spin-offs including new business opportunities, the creation of new jobs and the continued pedestrian- friendly environment downtown.
For more about the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, visit www.burlington.ca
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Communications Contact:
Donna Kell
Manager, Public Affairs
Tel. 905-335-7841
Fax. 905-632-9082
E-mail kelld@burlington.ca
Media Contact:
Leo Deloyde
General Manager
Development and Infrastructure
Tel. 905-335-7600, ext. 7883
Fax. 905-335-7883
E-mail deloydel@burlington.ca
