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Derby council approves High Park renovation contracts covering splash pad, playground and pickleball courts
Summary
Council approved contracts and bond authorization to renovate High Park — including an 11,000‑square‑foot splash pad, expanded playground, eight pickleball courts with lighting and new restrooms — and set a project contingency. Total contract awards and purchases were authorized during the Sept. 9 meeting.
The Derby City Council on Sept. 9 approved a package of contracts and a bond authorization to renovate High Park, including a destination‑scale splash pad, a larger playground, eight lighted pickleball courts, new restrooms and expanded parking.
Parks Director Steve White presented the design concepts developed from Derby’s 2022 parks master plan. The project includes a splash pad with distinct toddler, universal and dynamic zones, a circulating “runnel,” a 25‑foot climbing tower in the playground and an amphitheater upgrade. White said the playground and splash pad area will be roughly 11,000 square feet.
Council authorized a construction agreement with Conco Construction in the amount of $2,217,780 and a project contingency of $446,392; direct purchase agreements were authorized with the prefabricated restroom vendor (public restroom company) for $547,996 and with AFCO for playground and splash‑pad equipment for $1,698,141.49. Council also authorized issuance of bonds to pay project costs. The motions passed unanimously, 7‑0.
White said the splash pad will be a closed, recirculating system with roughly 3,000 gallons in the holding system and will use chlorine plus UV disinfection. “This is actually a self contained enclosed system,” he said, describing the filtration and disinfection approach intended to limit water use while providing a high‑quality facility.
Staff said scope phasing will target the south playground/splash‑pad area first so the site can be available for next summer events; pickleball courts and other work may be completed later in the sequence. The council discussed fiber, cameras and other site services; staff said current approvals cover electrical upgrades but not fiber runs, which could be considered as a separate expense in future budgets.
Staff also explained procurement choices: direct purchases of playground and splash‑pad equipment and prefab restrooms used cooperative purchasing to avoid general contractor markups. The council and staff noted the project is funded by the Derby Difference sales tax and included in the city’s capital planning.
