Costs for the Port Moody Arts Centre's Appleyard Centennial House addition have gone up again to pay for unexpected and last-minute works that had to be completed before the September grand opening.

A report considered at Tuesday's finance committee meeting in the City of the Arts detailed the unforeseen work that arose in the last two months of construction, which required immediate action to ensure building code and other requirements were met before the Sept. 6 opening.

The $31,000 in costs included about $14,500 for HVAC work, $2,700 for boiler replacement, $35,00 for modifications to the sprinkler system and almost $10,400 for landscaping.

Some of the costs were absorbed by the contingency budget but the report indicates $13,000 remained outstanding.

The report also details additional costs being borne by the Port Moody Arts Centre Society (PMACS), including $87,500 for the glass atrium connecting the Appleyard Centennial House with the existing arts centre. Those funds were borrowed from the city and will be repaid by the end of 2015.

Additional works being funded by PMACS include $41,000 to reconfigure the existing arts centre space as well as upgrades to the telephone and IT systems, painting and other minor projects. PMACS is also paying for a main-floor beam to open up the main floor ($12,000), an exterior deck and atrium area ($28,000) and revitalizing the main floor ($1,777), for a total of $82,777.

In 2012, PMACS was awarded a federal grant of $480,785 for the project, with a minimum matching amount to come from the city. The finance report states the city contribution now stands at just over $650,000.

"There's been an ongoing concern with the three bump-ups in the costs," said Mayor Mike Clay, but the city is working with PMACS on fundraising and grant applications to recoup as much of that as possible.

"Like any project, we had out-of-scope projects, some new ideas that were brought into the conversation" that were valid and approved, Clay said, noting the expanded and revamped facility will provide good value to the city.

"It's a fabulous facility, they're ramping up their programming to take advantage of it now," Clay said. "And when you go and see the shows there now, you see what a great space it is and how much it contributes."

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