Project update given

Recreation center cost lowered to roughly $13.7 million

Russell Hodges
Posted 10/22/19

The Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District Board of Commissioners continued to iron out financial numbers during its monthly board meeting at Rochelle City Hall on Monday.

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Project update given

Recreation center cost lowered to roughly $13.7 million

Posted

ROCHELLE — The Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District Board of Commissioners continued to iron out financial numbers during its monthly board meeting at Rochelle City Hall on Monday.
Board President Tim Hayden discussed Phase II of the park district’s Guaranteed Maximum Price from Ringland-Johnson Construction. Hayden said the GMP has moved to roughly $13.7 million for the new community center at Helms South, about $275,000 less of its initial value of around $14 million. Portions of the construction project are still being bid out including the turf. The scheduled completion date for the center remains Labor Day 2020.

“We have a target date we’re trying to finish the project by, but this isn’t a school where we’re angling to start by the first day of school,” Hayden said. “We have to balance reasonable spending and getting to our completion date… We also wanted to limit the number of allowances we have because we’re trying to limit our exposure… We’re down to figuring out the last few things, with one of those being the turf.”
Executive director Jackee Ohlinger discussed eight bid proposals for exercise equipment in the community center fitness room. The bids ranged from $160,000 to $323,000, and companies offering bids include Matrix, Life Fitness, Direct Fitness Solutions and Midwest Commercial Fitness. Ohlinger said she will likely have a recommendation on fitness equipment ready for the board prior to its November meeting.
The board approved a bid of around $39,000 from Grover’s Tree Services for the Skare Park tree project, which will be conducted on the west side of the park. Ohlinger said the park district has discussed using the trees removed from the project by chipping them up and spreading the wood chips around the back area of the park where walking trails are located. Ohlinger said a controlled burn has been scheduled for Nov. 2 at Skare Park.
“Those trails get really wet, so when we have our runners out there, we’d be able to utilize some of those wood chips,” Ohlinger said.