By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The St. Joseph City Council has passed a design-build contract to start long awaited renovations at Krug Park.
The council, this week, approved a contract with E.L. Crawford Construction of St. Joseph to allow for renovation on several key areas of the park.
St. Joseph Parks and Rec director Chuck Kempf says getting this contract approved is a huge step forward in the Krug Park project.
"This is a big moment as far as, we're kind of done with that aspect," Kempf told KFEQ Radio. "We've made our decision, we know who we're going to work with now. So really, substantial design, engineering and planning can now take place."
This renovation project includes the amphitheater, children’s circus, picnic shelters, restrooms and other spaces. E.L. Crawford will get more than $11.7 million from their contract with the city to carry out the project.
Kempf says there's still more to be done before any big construction takes place.
"I don't want to raise everyone's expectations," he said. "We still have to meet with the contractor, the team and talk about the schedule and process. So, I don't want to over promise, but it's probably unlikely that there's anything substantial that'll happen this construction season."
Kempf adds the park will never be completely shut down during the construction project. He notes the new design will be ADA compliant, while also preserving the historic aspects of the area.
E.L. Crawford Construction has a three-year deadline for the project, but Kempf says the hope is to have everything done before then.
"They appreciate the three-year deadline," Kempf noted. "That gives them a lot of cushion and some flexibility in their scheduling. But, I know they really want to get that done. I think they're shooting for 2-2.5 years, and that way if there's any struggles or problems, supply chain issues or anything like that, they still have a cushion."
Kempf says the first things that'll be repaired at the park are the utilities, such as electrical, plumbing and sewage.
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