Assembly awards Veterans Park renovation contract; mayor orders grills removed after public feedback

Fairbanks — The Fairbanks North Star Borough Finance Committee on April 17 awarded the Veterans Park Renovation contract to Gem Solutions LLC for $1,037,500 — the base bid plus two additive alternates — and heard staff describe the new plaza, a rigid-roof pavilion and site amenities meant to improve accessibility and seating at the downtown memorial site.

Public-works and parks staff delivered the staff report. David Bradley (public works) and Corey Beal (general services) reviewed demolition limits (work will be concentrated on the west side of the park), paths, upgraded accessible picnic tables and benches, a kiosk with park history, landscaping and new flagpoles. Parks and Recreation Manager Matt Boyer described a donor/memorial brick program and a sponsorship package the borough will use to offset costs.

Bid and schedule

Gem Solutions’ base bid was $969,000; additive alternate 1 (landscaping) was about $45,000 and additive alternate 2 (additional benches and an ADA picnic table) was about $23,500, producing a total recommended award of $1,037,500. The project carries two substantial-completion dates: most site work by July 25 and the prefabricated wood pavilion by Oct. 31, because the pavilion has a long fabrication lead time.

Grills and public feedback

Several Assembly members and the mayor discussed the picnic-grill elements shown in the bid package. Mayor Hopkins said he had met with veterans and other stakeholders and that most of the veterans he spoke with wanted the park to remain a contemplative memorial and to include more accessible seating rather than public grilling stations. Hopkins said he will submit a change request to the contractor to eliminate the grills from the scope; that direction was presented as the mayor’s instruction to staff at the meeting, not a formal Assembly motion.

Donations and sponsorships

Parks staff said the Kiwanis and other community groups have expressed interest in sponsoring parts of the park. The borough will use a sponsorship package and accepted donations to help offset some components; staff emphasized that donation agreements must be settled after the contract award and that, to date, no sponsorship funds had been exchanged.

Vote

Assembly member Ms. Wilson moved the award; Doctor Haney seconded. The Assembly Finance Committee voted 9–0 to award IFB 25060 to Gem Solutions LLC in the amount of $1,037,500.

Ending

Construction is scheduled to begin after contract execution. Staff said excess contingency resulting from favorable bids will lapse back to the borough capital reserve when the project closes. The mayor’s requested change to remove grills will be formalized as a change order to the awarded contract; staff said the fiscal impact of removing the grills would be “remarkably minimal.”