Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks & Recreation Department

DATE:           March 14, 2012

TO:              Dave Corliss, City Manager,

Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager

                             Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

                   Ernie Shaw, Interim Director Parks & Recreation

FROM:          Mark Hecker, Assistant Director Parks & Recreation

RE:               Design/Build Services – Centennial Skate Park

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at a future City Commission Meeting Agenda:

Project Description

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department solicited proposals from qualified skate park design / build firms to make needed repairs and improvements to the Centennial Skate Park. Three firms were prequalified to submit proposals:  Hardcore Design Studios from Joplin, Missouri; Evergreen Skateparks from Portland, Oregon; and Whoskates from Kennebunkport, Maine.  All of these firms travel across the country to design and build skate parks.  Two firms were interviewed by a five person team comprised of Parks & Recreation staff and local skaters.  All participants of the team agreed Whoskates should be the recommended contractor for the project.  This firm is currently building a park in Fort Scott, Kansas and would be able to move this crew to Lawrence once a design consensus has been reached from future meetings with local skaters.  The attached link shows a park that Whoskates built in Saugerties, New York for the approximately the same budget that we have allotted for repair of our park ($125,000).

Project Funding

This project was approved by the City Commission and was bond funded at a total cost of $125,000 for design and construction.

Action Request

Authorize staff to negotiate a contract and issue a purchase order for $125,000 to Whoskates for the design/build services to improve the Centennial Skate Park.