The long awaited water park will be built – even if city staff have to do it themselves.
The City Council last week set forth the new plan after rejecting bids from contractors that were substantially higher than what the city engineer had anticipated the project would cost.
Colusa officials had hoped to have the splash pad up and running by Memorial Day or early June once they selected the equipment and put the project out to bid.
The council in 2021 authorized the splash pad to be built next to the swimming pool, using the city’s $177,000 per capita allocation from Proposition 68, which the state made available from the Park and Water Bond Act of 2018, without a cash match requirement.
In March, the council approved the purchase of splash pad equipment from Water Odyssey for $98,000 that includes a “duck” sprayer, a “spray way” arch, a Popp Drop, a “fill and spill” bucket water drop, a Ladybug spout, and a tractor sprayer, and had hoped a contractor could finish the job without the city having to invest general funds.
The work would have mostly included installing the water lines and connecting the park to the storm drain, connecting the electrical components to existing service, pouring the concrete pad, and installing the water features.
“We only had two bidders on the project, and both were $50,000 over,” said City Manager Jesse Cain.
Lamb Unlimited General Engineering’s bid came in at $124,510, of which $48,150 was just the cost to pour the concrete pad. Community Playground’s bid was $157,981, of which $68,805 was the cost to construct the pad.
The City Council on May 17 rejected both bids and gave the go ahead for Cain and City Engineer Dave Swartz to proceed with the alternative plan for the city to build it themselves.
Cain said it is not uncommon for staff to build projects when construction bids far exceed the engineer’s estimate and the amount of money available.
“The state has already authorized us to do that,” Cain said.
Cain said he anticipates the city will need to subcontract for the electrical work, but staff would primarily manage the construction and installation of the equipment.
“It’s the same thing we’ve done with all the restrooms in town,” he said. “Those went out to public bid; those came in way over the project amount so city staff actually built them. That is one thing we are allowed to do with this particular grant.”
The water park will be designed primarily for younger children, ages 3 and up, and will be self-activated at a “touch and go” bollard. The splash pad – a combination of misters, fans, and sprays – will be ADA accessible, have no-slip surfaces, and will feature equipment that comes in a canvas of colors, shapes, textures, and light. ■