Construction is expected to begin in June on a new southside park in Galesburg.
Cooke Park will be constructed on West Second Street, on the grounds of the former Cooke Elementary School. Amenities will include a playground, picnic shelter, baseball backstop, restrooms, trailhead, benches and picnic tables, and other features.
The city council on Monday approved a bid of $650,159 from Lockwood Construction for the project.
City Manager Eric Hanson said the entire project will be in the $1 million to $1.25 million range with all amenities, but the bid approved on Monday will get things going.
“This is kind of the first phase to get construction started and get the main facets of the park underway,” Hanson said.
The city received an Open Space and Land Acquisition Development grant last year that will cover $500,000 of the project, with the city covering the rest from the park fund.
The city council also approved a construction administration agreement with Farnsworth Group for the park project.
Half of that will be funded by the OSLAND grant with a cost not to exceed $28,500.
Farnsworth Group will attend construction meetings, perform site visits, and assist with final inspections and closing out the project.
Hanson said it’s a typical agreement for a grant-funded project that requires significant paperwork for the city to get its funds.
“We have a long history of working with Farnsworth Group,” Hanson said. “They have been our administrator on a number of park projects that have totaled… I think we’re approaching $3 million just in the last few years.”
Ward 7 Council Member Steve Cheesman praised the additions and improvements to the city’s park system in recent years.
“This is all good and continues to make us the city that we want to be in, the city we're proud of,” Cheesman said.
Construction on Cooke Park is expected to be finished by November.
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