Construction of a boardwalk to the evolving Cemetery Point Park and shelters for the City Park resulted in one step forward and one lurch sideways at the June 12 meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency. The boardwalk will be built, at a cost of $248,600, following three votes in favor of the bid and a dissenting vote by Commissioner Gene Hodges. (Commissioner Sue Colson was not present.) The issue of more shelters for the City Park foundered on an estimate of $25,005 for a single shelter and $131,000 for a four-unit shelter. The Cemetery Point boardwalk came under intense criticism by Commissioner Hodges. After saying that he did not see a need for a boardwalk, he asked, "Why do we want a park there?" His objections ranged from the vulnerability of a boardwalk to storm damage to the biting insect population making the site uninhabitable. In response, Commissioner Vanessa Edmunds recounted the history of the park project, with emphasis on the undesirability of possible alternative types of development of the site. The CRA Board voted to accept a bid by Mike Discher Construction Co. of $248,600 to build the boardwalk. The project includes 1250 linear feet of boardwalk and an observation deck. The project is expected to take six months. Citizen Nancy Taylor asked that the construction work be done after the breeding season of the bird inhabitants of the marsh through witch the boardwalk will pass. The prospect of building picnic shelters in City Park to replace those deleted from the original design to accommodate a bid of $641,000 did not go forward. Additional shelters, from one to a four-unit structure at cost estimates from $25,005 to $131,000 were presented by CRA Director Jackie Gorman. The Commissioners responded with a motion by Commissioner Pat O'Neal and seconded by Commissioner Hodges to "do nothing." However, the Commission did give approval to have two signs made for City Park at a cost of $2,250. |
