MILL CREEK — The City Council deferred work on a new park in the North Pointe neighborhood at a meeting Tuesday, citing higher-than-expected construction bids.
An engineer estimated costs for Exploration Park at less than $1.1 million. The two bids the city received came in at more than $1.3 million and $1.7 million, though.
City officials blame the booming construction market. They expect to reopen bids by early next year in the hopes they come in lower, interim city manager Bob Stowe said.
The 1.2-acre park was dedicated to the city in 2006. There’s a lawn, perimeter landscaping and trees along the street.
After conducting outreach in 2016, the city settled on plans to build out a natural play area. The design incorporates a berm with a built-in slide, a short tunnel, rock walls, a beaver den and walking trails, among other features.
A geotechnical analysis shows that dense fill underneath the park limits drainage and is likely to complicate redevelopment.
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