In an effort, at the direction of the Board of Selectmen, to keep the forward progress of the Metropolis Ice Rink conditions evaluation and insurance claim processing moving ahead in an expedited fashion, a progress review meeting was scheduled and took place last Friday, May 8, 2015.
The focus of that meeting was to review the status of the insurer’s investigation with respect to the extent of loss sustained to the Metropolis Ice Rink as a direct result of the partial collapse of the rink’s roof. In attendance were representatives of the Town’s insurance carrier, representatives of the Commonwealth including DCR and DCAM, Town Administrator, Building Inspector, Recreation Manager and member of the Board of Selectmen, John Connolly.
The insurer has retained an engineer who reported on the status of the engineering review that has been performed to date. He also advised the group that additional time would be required in order to thoroughly complete the evaluation and issue a final report. That report will include a review of all structural building components, and among other important building assets, the entire HVAC system which has not been operating since the collapse. It was suggested that their review process may take an additional one to two months to complete, indicating a target date of early July and is dependent upon subsequent findings yet to be made.
In the interim, the Town will work with the insurer’s representatives as well as the Commonwealth’s engineers and representatives, to develop a suitable action plan to ensure that a thorough, exhaustive and appropriate evaluation is completed upon which a comprehensive rebuilding plan and schedule will be based. The Town is committed to updating the public and sharing appropriate progress information when it becomes available and to answer public inquiries and respond to those inquiries prior to the conclusion the building condition evaluation and any rebuilding plan.
