The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

The city council at Electric City will have the opportunity next Tuesday, June 13, to select the design firm for its two proposed city parks.

The community parks committee has recommended that a Lacey firm, Robert Droll, Landscape Architect, be selected to take the city through the design and engineering phase of the future project.

City Clerk Russell Powers said last week that the city had received five proposals from its advertisement seeking either a landscape architect, or an engineering firm to do the advance work for the two Ice Age Floods-themed city parks — one at McNett and Western (behind the fire station) and the other at Grand Avenue and Kent (near the arsenic treatment plant).

Powers said the council will review the Lacey firm’s proposal, and if that is rejected, then will be able to make a selection from one of the other firms.

Powers said the Lacey firm had already selected Gray & Osborne as its engineering firm to do the engineering aspect of the parks’ work.

The firms submitting proposals in addition to Droll were Bruce Dees & Associates; Michael Terrell, Landscape Architect; Bernard/Willis, Architects; and SPVV Landscape Architects.

The community advisory group making the selection and recommendation to the council includes Brad Parrish, Clark Perman, Lynda Anderson, Jeff Piturachsatit, Cindy Greely, Lonna Bussert, Bergan Palma and Aaron Derr.

In the advertisement for proposals, the project was summarised as follows: The construction of two Ice Age Floods parks, including crosswalks, sidewalks, trees, potted plants, public restrooms, shade structures, retaining walls, playground equipment, a water splash pad, basketball court, climbing wall, barbecue pit, irrigation system, fencing and general landscape features.

The anticipated starting date for construction of the two parks is 2019, Powers stated.

The city hopes to submit a grant request to the Recreation Conservation Office (RCO) in 2018, for possible project funding.

The firms submitting proposals were asked to develop primary design, detailed design and the preparation of grant materials.

The Ice Age Flood two-park proposal is part of the city’s Park and Recreation plan that extends throughout the city and includes trails, sidewalks and other features.