Fife staff report steady progress on center renovations, trail work and splash pad after compaction problem

City parks staff told the Fife Parks Advisory Board on Feb. 5 that several capital projects are moving forward, while one remains delayed after a soil compaction failure.

The most immediate updates: flooring in community center Rooms 1–3 is finished; the community center HVAC and kitchen renovation is out to bid with proposals due Feb. 18 after a mandatory walkthrough that drew 21 contractors; the pool roofing project has reached substantial completion and the contractor is addressing about 10–12 punch-list items before the city can close the project.

Staff said Sheffield Trail construction is scheduled to begin March 17 and will update roughly the first 1,000 linear feet of trail, including widening and lighting. Wedge Park is in a 45-day public comment period associated with Pierce County Community Development Block Grant funding; staff expects the comment period to conclude in April, after which the county contract would finalize and the city could proceed with purchasing playground and restroom equipment.

The splash pad project had been paused after fill material at the site failed compaction testing. Staff told the board a change order of about $300,000 recently went to the City Council and was approved; work has restarted but the contractor now estimates completion in late June to July, shifting the previously targeted May finish. Staff attributed the compaction failure to excessively wet soil conditions at the time of construction.

Board members pressed for schedule clarity. A board member asked whether the splash pad would still open for summer; staff said the contractor now predicts a June to early July timeline but noted the schedule remains in flux. On funding, staff clarified that Sheffield Trail is a federal transportation project managed by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and that Wedge Park uses Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars administered through the National Park Service; staff said neither federal funding stream has shown problems to date.

The board heard that because of the pool roofing contract dollar amount, final sign-off and financial closeout will require City Council action after punch-list completion.

Board members asked routine follow-ups about reasons for the compaction failure and timeline contingencies; staff reiterated that wetter-than-expected soils caused the compaction issue and that the contractor is addressing corrective work. The board did not take formal action on any capital-project items at the Feb. 5 meeting.

The updates signal multiple near-term milestones: bid opening Feb. 18 for the community center HVAC/kitchen, Sheffield Trail construction start March 17, wrap-up of pool punch-list in the coming weeks, and an approximate late-June/early-July target for the splash pad pending field conditions and contractor progress.

For future meetings staff said they will return with bid results, contract closeout documentation for the roofing project, and final timelines for the splash pad once the contractor provides them.