Parks commission awards $2.4 million contract for Centennial Park splash pad

The Parks and Recreation Commission announced that Conlon Construction of Dubuque, Iowa, was awarded the low responsible bid of $2.4 million to build the Centennial Park splash pad, staff said at the meeting.

The award was one of seven bids received; staff said bids ranged up to $3.4 million and the low bid allowed two alternates to be included. "That bid was 2.4 uh million dollars which it came in under what the estimate was going to be," the parks presenter said.

Why it matters: The splash pad is a major new recreation feature intended to serve families and youth in North Liberty as the city grows; its scale and operational design affect annual operating costs and staffing needs.

Staff outlined project features and operations. The contract includes mechanical restroom facilities (two restrooms on each side of the building) and at least one adult changing station on each side; staff said they considered, but have not committed to, a separate designated nursing/mother’s room. The splash pad surface area was described at about 5,700 square feet for the primary spray area; staff said total pad area is larger when surrounding circulation and seating is included.

Construction and schedule: Staff said construction is expected to begin in mid‑spring and run about a year, with the initial phase limited to the restroom/mechanical building so the remainder of the site work can proceed after the July Blues & BBQ event. Staff repeated a target for a near‑May opening the following year, subject to schedule and weather.

Operations and safety: Unlike some small splash pads that drain to waste, staff said the Centennial Park installation will use treated, recirculating water with filtration and pool‑style chemistry testing. "It's going to be treated water. It's going to be recirculating," the presenter said, adding it will require monitoring similar to pool operations. Parks staff said aquatics personnel and trained facilities staff will share monitoring responsibilities and that staff will pursue required certifications.

Parking, site design and amenities: An alternate included in the contract will add additional parking along the east side of the park. The design will include seating walls and grass areas so caregivers can supervise both the playground and splash pad. The splash pad will use activation buttons that are programmable; staff said the pad will be inactive outside park hours and full nighttime lighting was judged not cost‑effective.

Costs and ancillary systems: Staff said they are evaluating a lightning detection/weather‑warning system (a Perry Weather system) that can automatically shut the pad if lightning is detected; staff cautioned that initial setup costs and an annual subscription could be substantial, and gave an approximate subscription estimate of about $20,000 per year.

Vendor, alternates and oversight: Conlon Construction was identified as the low responsible bidder. Staff said the choice left room for two alternates (additional parking and landscaping) to be included. The commission did not record a roll‑call vote in the meeting transcript for the contract award; staff presented the award as already determined.

Next steps: Staff said they will report construction progress at upcoming meetings and provide a construction update to the commission as work advances. The commission will continue to refine operational details including staffing, certification training and decisions about weather‑safety systems.