The Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission approved a contract for design and planning for a riverfront park on Adrian's Island.
The Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department will pay engineering firm Bartlett & West $34,850 for a topographic survey, design development, 3-D graphics, cost estimates and a phasing study.
The total cost breakdown between those services: $14,850 for the topographic study; $14, 500 for design development and 3-D graphics; and $5,500 for the cost estimates and phasing study.
A previous contract with Bartlett & West for $7,950 was approved in February 2019 by then-president of the commission Brad Bates.
The original contract asked Bartlett & West to create a concept plan development, which included a general assessment of the location and creation of a preliminary map of the park.
Preliminary designs for the park include two lawn and pavilion spaces, as well as restrooms, walking trails, a plaza and donor wall, and a river viewing area.
Adrian's Island is an area of about 30 acres of wetland and forest that runs between the Missouri River and Union Pacific Railroad, for about a mile from the Capitol to the Missouri State Penitentiary.
The city is also in the process of building the Bicentennial Bridge. The bridge will connect the Capitol grounds with the island, which is currently difficult to access due to the railroad. The city celebrated a groundbreaking for the bridge Monday.
The plan is to develop about 8 acres of the island that stays dry during high water more often than the rest of the 30-acre area, assistant director J.J. Gates said. Some more natural trails will make their way through the remaining forest area for walking and biking.
Gates said work from the new contract will be based on the development plan Bartlett & West previously created.
Parks and Recreation Director Todd Spalding said they have a good chance of completing the park by the state's bicentennial celebration, which will take place in August 2021. The bridge is also set to be completed at that time.
The bridge design was also completed by Bartlett & West, and will be constructed by Phillips Hardy Inc., of Columbia.
Spalding said, by having the park designs ready as construction begins on the bridge, they hope to be able to add onto the existing construction contract with Phillips Hardy to construct the park simultaneously.
Also on Tuesday, the commission discussed other upcoming parks projects.
Spalding and the parks department have been working with the Master Gardeners and Architects Alliance on plans for a new botanical garden at Ellis-Porter Riverside Park.
Spalding said they are close to having a final draft of plans for the garden and hope to have them completed within a few weeks, with potential work on the garden beginning in early fall.
Spalding said he believes the partnership with Master Gardeners will serve the community well for many years.
The parks department is also working to create a request for qualifications to find an events management service for the new amphitheater which is currently being constructed at Ellis-Porter Riverside Park.
The amphitheater will include fixed seating for around 2,000 people with additional seating behind and hillside, grass seating further back.
Spalding said the department felt they needed a service to book and manage events at the amphitheater because it isn't a task the department is set up to do. They are beginning the process now so events can begin to be booked for next year, when the amphitheater should be completed.