Work may top $2.5 million (08/13/2008)

The most expensive phase of a park project in Portland is expected to cost $2.5 to $3 million, an official said this morning.

The Portland Park Board met Tuesday night and an engineer working on the project declined to give board members a cost estimate.

However, this morning, Nola Albrecht, landscape architect with The Schneider Corporation, released the cost estimate for phase III of the park project. This phase is set to include the creation of a pond, amphitheater, street and park department building, parking areas and utilities.

Albrecht had declined to give a cost estimate for the project Tuesday evening, both during and after the meeting of the park board. She said the start date depends on funding.

The park project originally was set to be constructed in five phases, but some items have been moved from other phases into phase III. Funding for this phase has not yet been secured.

Portland Board of Works members voted in June to pay Schneider $85,900 to do the engineering work on phase III. Portland Economic Development Income Tax funds are being used to pay the engineering costs.

Albrecht explained Tuesday night how the overall design of the next phase has changed slightly.

She said the location of the amphitheatre has changed, and it will now be located near the pond. Dirt excavated in digging the pond will be used for the amphitheatre.

Also, the street and park department headquarters has been moved to the southwest side of the park, near a drive. There will be a disc golf course at the northwest side of the park.

Board member Sharon Bubp asked how many parking spaces would be available for the amphitheatre.

Albrecht said there would be about 200, and an area near the amphitheatre could be graded for additional parking. The amphitheatre would accommodate about 500 people, which includes lawn seats, she added.

Bubp asked if fishing would be allowed in the pond.

Albrecht said there will be no fishing or swimming allowed, and the pond will simply be for aesthetic purposes.

She said it will be about 8 to 10 feet deep in the middle, and there will be aerators in the pond to prevent algae growth.

Bubp also asked if there would be a sledding hill in the park.

Albrecht said the plans currently did not include a sledding hill, but small ones could be included. "We could maybe play with the height with some of the mounds," she said. "We'll keep that in mind."

"I'm just thinking of more things for the kids to do," Bubp said.

"It looks really nice," board member Kent McClung said of the drawing Albrecht showed board members Tuesday.

Albrecht asked McClung if he liked the slight changes in phase II, and McClung said he did.

Also Tuesday, board members:

•Learned that work on a trail project to and through Hudson Family Park is expected to begin this fall.

Albrecht said Indiana Department of Transportation officials have received bids for the construction of the trail project. INDOT is funding most of the work through a Transportation Enhancement Grant.

She said she expects INDOT officials to review the bids during the next two weeks, and share them with city officials before making a decision. INDOT also has received bids for the engineering work for the trail project, she said.

Construction of the trail project should begin by the first week of September and take 60 to 90 days to complete, she said.

•Heard Rachel McKee, manager of the Portland Pool announce that attendance in July was much higher this year than last year. After this week, the pool will be open on weekends only, with the final day of swimming on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 1.

Hours on Saturday will be 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for the adult swim, then 1 to 5 p.m. On Sunday, it will be open 1 to 5 p.m. Hours on Labor Day will also be 1 to 5 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]