Fairfield seeks bids for new park shelters

FAIRFIELD — The City of Fairfield is asking for bids to construct shelters at two of the city’s parks.

The city has finalized design specifications for a bathroom and storage facility at Chautauqua Park, and a shelter at Waterworks Park. The two projects combined are expected to cost $700,000. Fairfield City Engineer and Public Works Director Melanie Carlson said this is the largest in-house project she has ever done.

Carlson said the city decided to combine the two buildings into a single project to attract more attention from contractors because the dollar amount would be higher.

“Some contractors who don’t normally show interest in Fairfield are showing an interest in this project,” Carlson said. “Putting the two projects together makes it worth the contractors’ time, so they’re willing to come from father away.”

A big chunk of the project will be paid for through a $500,000 grant from the Edd and Darlene Felgar estate. Another $168,000 is coming from the city’s Capital Improvement Reserve Fund, and the rest will come from the city’s water and sanitary sewer funds.

Bids from contractors are due June 7. Carlson said she expects construction to begin this fall and continue over the winter so that the two structures can be open to the public by late April 2024. The city is hopeful that they will be done in time to host graduation parties next school year.

The shelter at Waterworks will include bathrooms, lights, a kitchenette with a sink and countertop space, a roll-up cafeteria window and a roof covering 12 picnic tables. Carlson said it’s large enough to accommodate about 100 people. She said it will be great not only for hosting parties but also can be used for other public events at Waterworks Park such as cross-country meets.

The structure at Chautauqua Park will include five individual bathrooms, which will be open to the public year-round. It will have a locker room accessible to parks staff, plus a section for storage.

In other city news, construction continues on South Main Street, which has been closed to through-traffic between Libertyville Road and Fillmore Avenue. The city plans to widen the street, add sidewalks on both sides, and install a roundabout at the intersection of South Main and Libertyville Road. Carlson said motorists who need to access Immanuel Lutheran Church are allowed to drive around the barricades.

Residents should be aware that the former Iowa Department of Transportation buildings on West Briggs Avenue will be demolished in the next few weeks. The city awarded the demolition contractor to Bob Brown Excavating, who will demolish the buildings as soon as the asbestos inside the buildings is removed. Carlson said all of the asbestos has been removed from the west building, and the asbestos in the east building has been mostly removed.

Carlson does not anticipate having to close any nearby roads during the demolition, but she encourages pedestrians not to use the sidewalk by the buildings and to walk on the other side of the street.

“If you want to watch the demolition, go to the parking lot by the [First Church of the Nazarene], but don’t get any closer,” Carlson said.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com

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