By Conrad Dudderar
Associate Editor
EL RENO – A $3.6 million remodeling project for the Canadian County Health Department has gotten a little costlier.
A 33,000-square-foot-building, at 6100 E Hwy 66 just west of Evans Road, is being renovated for a new county health clinic and offices. The work is due to be finished in April 2024.
Renovations started this fall after Canadian County Commissioners on Oct. 9 approved a “maximum guaranteed price” of $3,598,755 for the remodeling project.
Commissioners on Nov. 6 approved a change order request from their construction manager, Lingo Construction Services.
This change increases the price by $56,503.98.
“We had the file room a little larger on the original scope of work,” health department administrator Jennifer Boyle explained. “We figured out we could use our old systems, that are in Yukon, which are smaller and take up less space.
“So, it allowed us to make a lactation room and another office out of the extra space that we saved by not having to use different file systems. We’re going to an electronic file system in the next year or two, so we hated to even have to have a room for that.”
The smaller file room will eventually be used for storage when the new electronic system is in place.
The change order includes installation of a video projector and screen for a large classroom with a 150-person capacity.
“The health department staff has reviewed the change order,” Canadian County Commission Chairman Dave Anderson said. “They are comfortable with the value of the investment.”
This construction project is being funded through a 1.56 mill levy (property tax) that Canadian County collects for the health department. The levy generates about $3 million annually.
“These are the dollars collected on behalf of the health department,” Anderson noted.
UNDER ONE ROOF
The current Canadian County Health Department locations at 1023 E Vandament in Yukon and 100 S Rock Island in El Reno will relocate next spring to the county-owned building.
In June 2022, Canadian County Commissioners spent $6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal stimulus funds to purchase the property.
The future Canadian County Health Department site was formerly part of the El Reno Halliburton plant, which closed in December 2019 when the company relocated most of the operations to its Duncan field plant.
The building is on the south side of Highway 66 west of Canadian Valley Technology Center.
Canadian County Commissioners on Aug. 31 approved 15 bid packages for the Canadian County Health Department interior renovation project.
These covered selective demolition, millwork and counter tops; doors, frames and hardware; framing and drywall, flooring and tile, paintings and wall coverings, signage, walkway coverings, window shades, fire suppression; plumbing, heating, venting and air conditioning; electrical, and audio-visual systems.
