In 2016 & 2017, staff made presentations to Council regarding the failing pond edge and life expectancy of the existing pond liner at Les Lacs Pond. On May 23, 2017 Council approved a contract with Westra Consultants, Inc. in the amount of $56,730 to begin the development of schematic level design solutions for a base and an enhanced project and to facilitate stakeholder involvement for Les Lacs Pond. Westra's scope also included the development of an opinion of probable cost for each design option.
Westra Consultants developed a base project which recommended the minimum work that would need to be completed to replace the pond liner, address the failing pond edge, address American Disability Act (ADA) issues and correct erosion/maintenance concerns. The consultant also developed an enhanced project which included various amenities that would enhance the project. The purpose of the enhanced option was to help facilitate public input and identify which elements were preferred by the community. To help capture this information staff developed an online web portal called "Imagine Addison." This portal allowed residents to build their own project by adding proposed enhancements for the pond edge condition, planting style, interactive elements, site improvement elements, environmental elements, and aesthetic improvements to the base project. As participants built their own project the project budget would adjust to include their selections.
Staff used the community's preferences for amenities gathered in Imagine Addison to present a recommended project to the 2019 Bond Election Committee. The committee recommended including the project in Proposition C in the 2019 Bond Election which was approved by voters in November of that year. The recommended project included the base project, a combination lake edge, landscape beds, a rain garden, retaining walls, fountain lights and tree up-lights which was originally estimated to be $3,146,251 in 2018. Staff presented the item to the bond election committee in an amount of $3,282,110 to account for anticipated inflation for the project. Professional Services such as consultant fees for completion of schematic design and construction documents, topographic and bathymetric survey, environmental and drainage analysis, construction phase assistance and construction materials testing were also included in the costs estimates and bond funds requested.
Due to increasing construction costs, staff recently asked Westra to look at the Opinion of Probable cost that was prepared in 2018 and asked them to make updates to reflect current construction prices that are being experienced in the region. This resulted in an approximate 18% increase. A break down of these costs is included on slide 13 of the presentation. To address the budget concerns staff is recommending a base bid project and alternate bid items be developed in the plans to provide decision making flexibility once bids are received.
Staff will make a presentation that gives an overview of the project background, information gathered in the public input process, discuss estimated construction cost impacts caused by the current economic climate and staff's recommended approach for moving forward with the project.
Also attached to this agenda item is a resolution approving a professional engineering services agreement with Westra Consultants for the completion of schematic design and construction documents, topographic and bathymetric survey, environmental and drainage analysis, bidding and construction phase assistance and construction materials testing. |