Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks & Recreation Department

TO:	David Corliss, City Manager
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager Ernie Shaw, Interim Director, Parks & Recreation Eileen Horn, Sustainability Coordinator
FROM:	Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation
DATE:	March 25, 2015
RE:	Burcham Park River Trail.

Background

The Sunflower Foundation provides funding to support the concept of the “built environment” as a strategy to increase opportunities for physical activity and therefore reduce the prevalence of obesity and improve overall health.  Their Community Trails program funds community trail projects of at least ½ mile in length.  Funding is available up to $55,000, contingent upon project budget and bids, and all grants require a dollar for dollar match.

Project Description

Sunflower Grant funding has been approved for a proposed Burcham Park River Trail which would connect Burcham Park and Constant Park with a 0.64 mile multi-use path along the Kansas River (see attached map).  This trail would connect the recently constructed Sandra Shaw Trail adjacent to Burcham Park with destinations such as Downtown, the levee trail, and Lawrence Memorial Hospital.  The Burcham Park River Trail will serve as a site for recreation and physical activity, bicycle commuting, and access to the Kansas River.  The 3400 ft. (0.64 mile) trail will be constructed partially of concrete, and partially of asphalt millings to balance trail surface durability and cost. 

We received widespread community support for the grant application, and included letters of support with our application from:  The Sustainability Advisory Board, Livewell Lawrence, the Douglas County Health Department, Friends of the Kaw, Jayhawk Audubon Society, Kansas Wildlife Federation, Dads of Douglas County, Run Lawrence, Bert Nash Mental Health Center, Outside for a Better Inside, and the Pinckney Neighborhood Association.

Bid Information –Bid #B1508

RD Johnson Excavation                 $107,950

Gunther Construction Company      $178,225

Project Funding

The $107,950 project will be funded with $49,775 for the Sunflower Foundation and $58,175 from Sales Tax Reserve.

Action Requested

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department requests Commission approval to move forward with construction of the Burcham River Trail.

1.  Accept the low bid provided by RD Johnson Excavation for $107,950 to construct the Burcham River Trail.

2.  Authorize the City Manager to sign a grant agreement with the Sunflower Foundation to provide funding of $49,775 toward the project.