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Valparaiso parks staff ratify design-build contract; schematic design and remediation underway
Summary
The board of works ratified a design-build contract for the new recreation center/master plan. Parks staff and contractors will proceed with schematic design, public surveys, stakeholder meetings and a phased master-plan approach; soil thermal remediation on-site is in progress with initial effectiveness monitoring expected in late April/early May.
Parks staff updated the council on a major recreation-center project and design-build procurement. The board of works ratified a design-build contract with Ton & Blank and Elevatus to begin schematic design for the 16-acre project; a project kickoff meeting established team roles and a timeline.
Kevin (parks staff) said the team will produce a master plan for the full property, undertake schematic design (about 30% of design work), then proceed to design development and construction documents. The public-engagement program includes five weekly surveys, interactive outreach through Valpo Parks and Valparaiso Now social channels, and targeted stakeholder sessions (for example, senior-services providers and current bond center users).
Staff also addressed environmental remediation: a consultant (WSP) is conducting a thermal remediation process on site; monitoring is expected during the six-month treatment, with preliminary effectiveness indications due in late April or early May. Staff said remediation work should not constrain schematic design in this phase but may affect future construction phasing.
Council members asked about schedule slippage (surveys were delayed by about a week), where surveys will be posted (Valpo Parks pages, Valparaiso Now and email newsletters), and how the master plan will be used to phase construction. Staff said the schematic master plan will inform cost estimates and decisions about phasing for implementation.
