Parks Board Re-Reviews Shelter Plans

The Parks Board, which has spent innumerable hours over the past couple years working on the new Winnequah Shelter #2 was back at it again tonight reviewing the plans to see where we could cut costs. The bid is up for award by the council to low-bidder Stevens Construction next Monday. The total cost is $477,571 (including $33,349 to the architects Mayo Corp.). The City has set aside $300,000 from parkland dedication fees and city borrowing.

A fundraising committee has been established to raise the remaining amount - Margaret Metcalfe, Jennifer Kahl, Tori Hull, Bill Bathke, and Elaine Axtell Thomas. By all reports they are excited and optimistic about the project. Of course, we have to do our 'due diligence', but here's hoping we can make the building of a new shelter a real plus for the city of Monona.

Anyway, the Parks Board recommends;

1. A 40-year asphalt shingle roof rather than the metal - savings about $11,200.
2. Keeping clay unit masonry.
3. Omit cedar board overlays and go with painted hollow steel doors on the interior and fiberglass doors on the exterior - depending on cost of fiberglass doors.
4. Anderson skylights rather than Kalwall skyroof - Savings about $9,700.
5. Omit frame downs and cedar sofits - savings about $2,700.
6. Keeping the stone fireplace.
7. Keeping the family bathroom.

The Board also spent quite a bit of time discussing the overhead doors and recommended that they be installed with the maximum grade feasible for a manually operated door.

The contractor attended and also explained that water and sewer service have to be replaced due to the low grade and deteriorated condition of the existing service (about $40,000) and that soils condition prevents just laying a slab on the surface and requires removing 6' of existing soil and backfilling with gravel and engineer's fill.