City Commissioners approved multiple items for the splash pad at the Electric City Water Park during their June 18 meeting.

The city is converting the existing baby pool at the water park into a splash pad.

The project was proposed in 2022 and commissioners approved $200,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant funds in July 2022.

In 2022, Park and Recreation staff said the baby pool had several mechanical and operational deficiencies, and because of the depth of the pool, it had to be staffed with a lifeguard.

Electric City Water Park, neighborhood splash pads open June 7; neighborhood pools open June 17

Converting the pool into a splash pad will eliminate the mechanical and operational deficiencies and the need for a lifeguard, saving about $10,000 per season, Park and Rec staff said in 2022.

City staff have been working for the last two years to get quotes and a satisfactory plan for the project.

There were contracting issues with the project, so city staff split the demolition, equipment supply and installation/construction into separate contracts.

New aquatic facility set to open late June; city amending its budget, holding frog slide naming contest

During the May 7 meeting, commissioners awarded contracts for demolition and equipment supply.

Demolition began on May 15 and subsequently staff decided against using the existing gate and driving over the existing sidewalks, as originally planned, for United Materials to bring in equipment and new dirt.

The project team plans instead to remove a section of the fence near the baby pool and access the site from River Drive.

“This made it necessary for United to do some fencing repair and adding topsoil and grass seed to the grassy area they needed to drive over. This change order covers those additional costs,” according to the staff report.

City adjust contracts for water park splash pad

Staff recommended, and commissioners approved during the June 18 meeting, a change order for an additional $2,500, bringing the full contract amount up from $28,650 to $31,150.

Staff put the installation out to bid in May, and received two bids, one for $385,480 from USA Construction of Georgia and $143,750 from Smith River Construction of Great Falls.

City staff recommended approval of the Smith River proposal with the intent to start construction soon so “ideally the splash pad will be operational for at least part of the season,” according to the staff report.

Sylvia Tarman, city project manager, said that she considered the higher bid unresponsive since it didn’t address the items specifically requested in the bid documents.

City approves contract for water park splash pad

The Smith River proposal is the low bid but pushes the project total over the $200,000 that was originally included in the CDBG funding agreement, mainly due to inflationary factors such as increases for contract work, according to staff.

Splash pad decision delayed [2023]

To account for the overage, staff asked commissioners to approve, which they did unanimously, an amendment to the CDBG agreement to increase the total project cost by $68,809.50 for a new total of $268,809.50 for the project to convert the baby pool into a splash pad.

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

City staff identified the project for CDBG funds since the facility serves the general population and falls within a low to moderate income area.

Staff is recommending approval of the CDBG adjustment and the contracts to help the city accomplish its CDBG Annual Action Plan and come back into compliance with its timeliness requirements.