Parks committee backs Recreation Concepts bid for Rocket Park pavilions, approves Miller Center sound-system purchase and recommends naming Potter Lane site "N​

The Parks & Recreation Committee voted to recommend awarding the construction of two 20-by-20 metal pavilions at Rocket Park to Recreation Concepts, approve a single-bid purchase for a Miller Center sound system, and to recommend that the Potter Lane stormwater and park project be named Nora Park.

Justin Scott, who introduced the pavilion and sound-system items, said the Rocket Park work will replace four small single‑table shelters with two offset pavilions on 24-by-24 pads. Scott reported three bids for the pavilions: Recreation Concepts at $57,069.55, Lisonbee Here LLC at approximately $58,0xx (figure given in the record is unclear), and Carolina Rec and Design at $83,096.75. He said the project is funded in part through a Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) award of $115,000 with a matching $115,000 contribution for a $230,000 total project budget; pavilion costs were included as capital purchases under that grant. Scott recommended Recreation Concepts’ low bid; the committee moved, seconded and approved recommending that award to the full board. Scott said Public Works will pour the pads and the pavilions are scheduled for demolition/installation around 2026.

On the Miller Center, Scott said the city opened bids after a mandatory site visit and received one offer from The Sound Machine for $19,009. Scott said the project was budgeted at $19,150 and that he would try to find the roughly $750 shortfall in his budget. The committee moved, seconded and approved forwarding that procurement to the full board.

Committee members also heard a presentation on the Potter Lane project, which staff said is primarily a stormwater detention and green-space effort built from acquired private parcels with an orchard funded by a separate grant and a small local match (discussion placed the match at roughly 5 percent). The presenter said the property has long ties to the Potter family and proposed naming the new park Nora Park after Nora Potter; the committee voted to recommend the name to the full board.

The committee recorded no objections during the motions and approved the recommendations by voice vote. Next steps are for the full board to consider acceptance of the pavilion and sound-system procurements and the park-naming recommendation.

Sources: Committee meeting transcript; bids and grant amounts discussed at the Parks & Recreation Committee meeting.