BARRHEAD – The Town of Barrhead has cleared another hurdle on the way to completing its all-wheeled park.
At their Feb. 22 meeting, councillors authorized administration to sign an agreement with New Line Skateparks to design and build the new skate park, setting an overall budget capped at $800,000.
On Jan. 25, councillors selected the company to complete the final design and create the construction details for a new all-wheeled park in the community.
The skatepark's location will be on a municipally owned property near the old Champion Feeds building on the east side of 50th Avenue between 55A Street and 56th Street, south of Highway 18. It will replace the current wooden skatepark next to the Barrhead Centennial Museum.
Funding for the park was set aside for the project in the 2021 capital budget, specifically coming from the town's Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) allotment.
Chief administrative officer Edward LeBlanc said New Line created a preliminary model based on public input from the survey circulated in the summer.
The public will have one final chance to give their input at a March 7 open house hosted by New Line at the Agrena's Charles Godberson Rotary Room starting at 6:30 p.m.
Coun. Dausen Kluin asked if the municipality had checked New Line's references by asking other municipalities where they had constructed parks if they were pleased with their work.
Parks and recreation director Shallon Touet said the department spoke to multiple communities where New Line had built all-wheel parks, including Fort Saskatchewan.
"They were extremely happy, and they are bringing them back again to do some work," he said. "They have also done retrofits in Calgary and Edmonton. Everyone seems happy with their work."
Kluin then asked about what type of warranty the park would have.
Touet said he wasn't sure, adding he would have to check the documentation.
"I believe there is a two-year warranty on the materials used, such as the concrete. On the dirt track, there won't be a lot of warranty because they can't guarantee something where kids might go in there with their shovels," he said.
Coun. Ty Assaf was concerned about the potential for cost overruns and asked how much of a contingency fund was built into the budget.
On Feb. 14, Touet and parks and recreation foreman Jonathan Hynes met with the company to review the project. After the review, New Line calculated the preliminary construction costs at $766,500, including GST.
Assaf noted that typically a contingency fund is at least 10 per cent of a project's value, potentially putting them over the $800,000 budget cap.
"(The price includes the design) and we are confident that we will be able to complete this project within our budget," LeBlanc said.
Coun. Anthony Oswald asked if the skatepark would encompass the entire lot, from the bush line to the sidewalk, adding he was concerned about the potential of having the all-wheel park on top of the main sewer line going to the treatment plant.
Touet said in the preliminary drawings, there is about 10 to 12 feet from the sidewalk to the start of the park, with three "mini sidewalks" leading into the park.
He added that on the other side of the park, the town plans to construct a pathway as part of the boardwalk/ravine trail system.
