Council approves Florence Robeson South park replacement work; base bid plus installation alternate awarded

The City Council approved a bid award on Aug. 18 for Florence Robeson South Park improvements, awarding the base playground replacement and the alternate to install equipment the city has purchased.

Public Works reported the base bid — replacement of two play structures, an outdoor gym and rubber safety surfacing — came in at about $381,000. Bidders also provided four alternates: shade for the younger play structure (about $12,000), an alternate 2 play structure (about $13,500), shade for the outdoor gym (about $14,000) and installation of equipment already purchased by the city (about $40,000). The council voted to accept the base bid plus alternate 4 (installation of the pre‑purchased equipment), bringing the award to about $421,000.

Councilors debated the value and durability of fabric sun shades, with some members saying the shades address heat but not all‑season rain protection and expressing concern about vandalism and long‑term maintenance. Several councilors supported awarding the installation alternate to save costs relative to commissioning a separate installer later.

Public comment and council discussion also raised neighborhood concerns about the placement of the outdoor gym and potential loss of open field space used for informal soccer and volleyball. Staff said placement choices considered ADA access and pathway construction costs.

Action: Motion to approve award of the Florence Robeson South Park improvements base bid and alternate 4 carried (motion by Council member Overholtzer; second by Council member Ferrer). The vote was recorded in general as unanimous in favor during the meeting.

Next steps: Staff will proceed with contracting and coordinate grant funding (a state grant of approximately $167,000 covers part of the work) and park impact fees to cover remaining costs. Installation scheduling and any remaining alternates will be handled in coordination with operations.