The third phase of the Brazos River Park project is moving forward after Sugar Land City Council approved a $1.1 million construction contract for the project at its Aug. 2 meeting. According to the meeting, the third and final phase of the project will include a pavilion, pedestrian crossings, concrete trails, new landscaping and irrigation.
“The project focuses on a picnic pavilion and picnic tables underneath the pavilion, which will provide shade at the site,” said Joe Chesser, Sugar Land’s director of parks and recreation, at the meeting. “[It will also include] walkway connections, which will also allow for things like food trucks and entertainers to come up into [the] area where the pavilion is and get them off of the main road so we can keep the road access open even while we have events going on.”
Gadberry Construction was awarded the contract after being identified by the city’s architectural firm as the lowest responsible bidder. Gadberry, which has offices in Houston and Dallas, has completed six similar projects, according to the meeting.
Their bid included the costs of site grading; the removal and installation of concrete sidewalks; the installation of a pavilion; the installation of site furnishings, including picnic tables, benches, bike racks and grills; and landscaping and irrigation. The project’s construction will cost $1,065,777 and will be funded by the city’s 2013 parks bond, which included three propositions—only two of which passed.
Proposition 2 included $21.3 million and consisted of additional work to the Brazos River Park project and a festival site. Proposition 3 was $10.16 million and called for the implementation of a network of about 10 miles of trails that will serve to interconnect neighborhoods with existing trail systems. Proposition 1, which failed, would have covered $18.54 million to fund a 65-acre community park. All of the other bond projects, including a new connector road to Brazos River Park, have been completed, according to the meeting.
Materials testing for the third phase of the Brazos River Park project will cost another $12,342, with a 5% contingency fund of $53,288 bringing the total project budget to $1,131,407.
This phase of the project originally included the supply and installation of $332,592 worth of playground equipment; however, budget constraints are forcing the staff to table that element of the project until a future date, per meeting documents.
The project’s design was completed in April. Construction should begin in mid-August and end in March 2023. Construction should not impact residents or affect the use of the neighboring disc golf course, according to the meeting.
