Spencer says new park nearing completion; turf top‑dressing and splash‑pad fixes remain

Town officials told the Board of Aldermen July 8 that the town’s new park is largely complete but a handful of punch‑list items remain before full public opening.

Joe Morris and town staff reviewed outstanding items: top-dressing the artificial turf with sand to close seams and allow rooting, adjustments to irrigation that had been keeping some plantings overly wet, and rework of precast concrete tablets that will include the town logo. Staff said the splash pad has been operated but the contractor is correcting surface-work and sub‑contractor finish issues to address safety and appearance.

"We made some adjustments to those sort of late in the process and one of the elements that will be included in the precast is the town logo... they're having to rework those," a town official said. The manager added that Department of Commerce representatives praised Spencer as among the first communities to complete a project of this size: "That's a pretty remarkable turnaround to do almost $2,500,000 public project of that magnitude within 12 months."

Town staff reported that most base fundraising for the park is complete, though account managers said they continue to seek approximately $50,000 in additional donations for optional improvements and parking-lot upgrades. Officials said they expect turf to settle and the park to open in several weeks after top-dressing and warranty-controlled irrigation adjustments.

What’s next: Staff will finish the punch list, complete warranty inspections and return with an opening timeline. The board heard no competing proposals and did not vote on funding changes at the July 8 meeting.