County officials on Monday approved a change order regarding the new pickleball courts at Dunn Stadium that are set to open soon.
The Bartholomew County Commissioners approved the second change order for the project that will bring a tournament-quality, 12-court pickleball facility just south of Garden City.
County Parks Director Rich Day told The Republic a couple of weeks back that the courts, which will be on the west side of Dunn Stadium, are expected to open in early July.
The courts will be free and open to the public on a first-come-first-served basis. Commissioner Tony London, R-District 3, said he drove by earlier in the morning and noticed that paint on the courts has been installed.
The change order increased the cost of the project by $12,240 and is downstream of delays the project has experienced due in part to permitting complications.
The approved change order increases the agreement with Case Construction to $608,660.49, which is being paid for using federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding. The latest change order encompassed an increase in the cost of fencing, concrete sidewalks and curbing, among other items, but was not reflective of anything new being added to the project scope.
The project was awarded to Case Construction last July and had been expected to be wrapped up in October. But permitting complications arose because the property is owned by the county, but within the city limits. There was confusion about which entity oversaw the final say about stormwater reviews and drainage requirements.
Once engineering consultant DLZ determined the permitting would be overseen by the city, a stormwater redesign was needed which pushed the project back, DLZ’s Charlie Day said. Some erosion control permits had to be obtained as well because the site experienced some erosion as a result of the delays, Day told commissioners.
The commissioners during their meeting on March 10 approved the first change order on the project, increasing it by $23,202.31, according to the meeting minutes. Day said that was a result of the delays as well, but was more specifically for additions required as part of the stormwater redesign in order to get the requisite permitting.
Rich Day said previously that a tournament had been set for August, but had to be canceled because weather over the past few months had thrown a wrench into construction plans.
