Pioneer Park approves $3.8M in Phase 1 upgrades
Phases 2 and 3 at Pioneer Park contingent on available funding
MOORESVILLE — The Mooresville Park Board gave the go-ahead for the parks to spend up to $4.3 million on proposed upgrades at Pioneer Park.
During the July 8 board meeting, park superintendent Phil Cornelius gave an update on the project, which has been divided into three phases.
Cornelius told the board that the project was at the end of the scoping portion of the build, operate, transfer (BOT) process. “Which basically leads to this governing board to approve final scope, which will then initiate the financial component and contract negotiating, which would then be to the board for a public hearing and final adoption for the project,” Cornelius said.
Phase 1 of the project includes eight pickleball courts, the antique gazebo, an addition to the maintenance facility that includes a public restroom, and additional parking at a cost of about $3.79 million.“
A lot of this also includes earthwork, stormwater retention package to handle the runoff, which also will help in size for the future phases,” Cornelius said.
Phase 2 would go into further earthwork, site preparation for a future maintenance facility, adds a loop drive for maintenance and extends parking.
The cost for the second phase would add about $961,000 to the cost, bringing the total for both phases to $4.75 million.
Phase 3 includes adding a new maintenance facility at a cost of about $930,000 and bringing the overall total of the project to $5.68 million.
To fund the project, the Mooresville Redevelopment Commission (RDC) has dedicated $3.15 million to the project and the town has given permission for the parks to use about $440,000 from its non-reverting capital fund. The park was also recently awarded $250,000 from the READI 2.0 grants, giving the parks up to $3.84 million for the project through these funding options.
With this funding level, Cornelius noted, the parks are about $912,000 short from completely activating the first two phases of the project.
Park board president Matt Saner asked if the parks have had any discussions with the town council to chip in additional money for the project.
“We have not had any further conversations since our last approach, I think, in October,” Cornelius responded.
One option the board discussed to make up some of the difference includes using funds from the park’s RECU fund.
Cornelius said the park is comfortable with spending about $450,000 from the RECU fund, which would keep about 60 percent of the fund’s current balance in its reserves.
Saner asked what the board needed to do at the meeting to move the project forward.
“You need to, basically, determine as a board what phase you would like to activate as your final scope, and if you would like a contingency of adding additional phases, you can do so in the motion,” Cornelius said.
He also said the board could make the motion open-ended by approving the first phase and allowing additional negotiations for the second and third phases. “My recommendation would be to activate Phase 1, with the contingency, pending on additional funding, to roll into Phase 2,” Cornelius said. “Ultimately, I would love to say let’s do Phase 3, but that margin of funds that are not available is too great.”
The board unanimously decided to approve the first phase with a contingency to move to phase two and not exceed $4.3 million, which includes the $3.15 million from the RDC, the $440,000 from the park’s non-reverting capital fund, the $250,000 from the READI 2.0 grant and $460,000 from the RECU fund.
~ By Lance Gideon | Reporter | Published July 18, 2024 in The Morgan County Correspondent
