City Commissioners made changes to contracts for the splash pad coming to the Electric City Water Park.

The project has been in the works for several years.

In July 2022, commissioners approved using federal Community Development Block Grant funding to purchase and install a splash pad to replace the existing baby pool at the water park.

After about a year, Park and Recreation staff obtained a quote and plan from Play Space Designs and commissioners approved a construction contract in February 2024.

The contract was never fully executed as Play Space Designs discovered they couldn’t provide all the city required bonds and insurance.

City approves contract for water park splash pad

The company isn’t classified as a contractor and doesn’t have a contractors license so they couldn’t meet those requirements and had intended to have their installer provide those bonds and insurance, according to city staff.

The city legal department didn’t recommend that solution based on the contract structure.

Staff worked with Play Space and their installer for weeks to come up with a solution, which is to separate the contract into individual contract scopes and contract directly with each entity.

Splash pad decision delayed [2023]

Staff recommended that commissioners rescind the February contract to Play Space for $210,931.50 and instead award an equipment supply contract to Play Space for $93,909.50 and an contract to United Materials for $28,650 for demolition, required backfill and grading.

City staff is working with Play Space’s preferred contractor to get a quote for installation.

Commissioners unanimously approved those changes.

City requesting CDBG funds to convert baby pool to splash pad at water park [2022]

Commissioner Joe McKenney asked if they should wait to award any contracts until all three components, including installation, were in place.

Sylvia Tarman, city project manager, said that staff is trying to get the project completed before the Electric City Water Park opens for the summer, so they’re trying to get the equipment and demolition, which needs to be done either way, so they’ll be ready as soon as they finalize the installation contract.

She said the city has two quotes from installers and is verifying requirements to get through contracting.