Island Oasis, (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – Grand Island’s City Council voted 7-1 March 24 to approve a change order for $440,778 in additional expenses to renovate Island Oasis Water Park.
City Council member Mark Stelk voted against the motion. City Council members Maggie Mendoza and Mike Paulick were absent from the meeting.
The total amount of the contract with Scheele-Kayton Construction from Lincoln is now $13,637,598, Parks and Recreation Director Todd McCoy wrote in a memo to the City Council.
The first part of the change order was for site-civil changes totaling $249,808. During site preparation for the mini-golf area, unsuitable materials were identified. It is recommended that the soils be removed and replaced, McCoy wrote. A tree, fire hydrant, and light pole need to be repositioned. The subgrade system for the splash pad and mini-golf needs to be deeper than originally planned.
Second, $81,764 was designated for light poles and a public address system infrastructure, which will be added to the mini-golf area.
Next, $7,372 more is needed for speed slide drain pits. There was a $90,000 credit because a different color will be used to color the splash pad concrete, rather than the specific blue color planned.
Finally, $191,834 was requested for improvements to the mini-golf area.
“A play-thru cave feature is recommended to enhance the player’s experience. The cave adds atmosphere, variety, and a memorable ‘wow’ moment that guests talk about and share, which boosts repeat visits and word-of-mouth. It also differentiates the course from other mini golf courses and strengthens the overall theme, making the experience feel more premium and engaging,” McCoy wrote.
The other improvement in the mini-golf area was to use continuous concrete edging that surrounds each hole rather than basic brick edging.
City Council member Mitch Nickerson questioned whether the cave feature for the mini-golf area was needed. City Council member Jack Sheard said that the cave feature would provide a “wow” factor.
Another Parks and Recreation Department project involves renovations to the Ryder Park baseball field. McCoy said the purchase of a new scoreboard is being removed. The existing scoreboard is in good working condition and can be used for a short-term basis. He said that the Diamond Baseball League has indicated that it has a strong desire to provide a much higher quality video board later this year or next season. The total contract amount with Nemaha Sports Construction is now $3,746,120.
