Officials from Lansdale Borough held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday afternoon, bringing the long-awaited skatepark on Fourth Street one step closer to fruition.
“It feels amazing. I hope today’s lovely weather is a good omen of things to come,” said Councilwoman Mary Fuller, who chairs the borough’s Parks and Rec committee. “This project—for me—has been almost ten years in the making. It’s been a long process, but I can’t help but think of [former Parks and Rec director] Carl Saldutti today and how happy he’d be.”
Borough council members unanimously approved two bids for the skatepark during their business meeting in October 2019. The service and incidentals contract was awarded to Langhorne-based Fifth Pocket Skateparks in the amount of $369,800, and the second bid, which covers sitework and everything around the skatepark, was awarded to Marino Corporation in the amount of $214,381.
The total projected cost for the skatepark will be approximately $585,000, which is $115,000 below the estimated budget of $700,000 from last year. Funding for the project comes by way of a $220,000 grant, a $220,000 match from the Lansdale Parking Authority and $145,000 from an existing appropriation from the borough’s capital projects budget earmarked to make up any difference.
The approval from council in October 2019 brought to a close a three year period of planning and failed bidding periods. The first bidding period resulted in no submissions, which officials attributed to too short of an initial timeline. Though the second round of bidding produced multiple submissions, all of the bidders were from the west coast and came in well above the established budget, which lead to all of the bids being rejected and the projected being re-engineered in order to attract local bidders.
Preliminary site work began shortly after the approval, and the skatepark is tentatively set to open this June, weather dependent.
“This is a project that was discussed even prior to me joining council in 2010, so it’s been a long time coming,” said Fuller. “Over the years, I’ve encountered more than a few residents who expressed an interest, and I’m confident that once the skatepark is open and we see activity, everyone in the area will see what a benefit it is to the whole community.”
See also:
Council Approves Bids For Lansdale Skatepark, Work To Begin Next Month
Revamped Lansdale Skate Park Bid Package Readied For Council
Parks And Rec Committee Recommends Re-Engineering Of Lansdale Skatepark Project
Skate Park Bids Rejected By Lansdale Parks And Rec Committee
Officials Break Ground at White’s Road Rain Garden
