By Laura Woodward
A public apology has been made for the paint quality on Ryerson’s Gould and Victoria streets, with a future solution in the works by Ryerson University’s vice-president of administration and finance, Julia Hanigsberg.
Hanigsberg posted a thorough explanation behind the low quality of the roads Jan. 6 on her personal blog.
“We had a narrow range of temperature when the epoxy could be applied. I required my team to complete the work before the temperature dropped. That was my mistake,” Hanigsberg noted in her apology.
The $170,000 beautification and branding project was completed in October to revamp the previous yellow road with blue paths to campus buildings and spaces.
This new design used epoxy paint, to prevent eroding and better protect against dirt build-up.
Road completion was planned for September 2013 when students returned to Ryerson for the Week of Welcome. However, after realizing this was an unrealistic deadline, the work was done in a hurry.
“We did the work in a rush. We put speed ahead of quality of application.” Hanigsberg, and the Campus Facilities and Sustainability team, take a responsibility and assure to fix the issue in the future.
“We want to be flexible, in terms of the alternate solution,” Hanigsberg said. “Whatever the solution [Ryerson President] Sheldon [Levy] and I assure you that it is going to be one that is well executed, effectively achieved, and will do what our intention was the entire time: enhance the campus and really make it look terrific.”
Levy assures that the repairs will not be at a cost to students.
“Like many contracts of this type, you don’t pay the full amount until you’re happy with the outcome. That is the case with this,” said Levy.
The company will be repairing the road at their cost, according to Levy.
If the company does not withhold their agreement to repair, the cost may instead come from an operating budget used for repairs and renovations, said Hanigsberg.
“As is typical in projects of this nature, the entire cost is not paid until the project has been completed to our satisfaction and meets all the quality criteria,” said Pinoo Bindhani, executive director in the office of the vice president for administration and finance.
The solution project is intended to begin this spring.
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