Downtown Veterans Park needs repairs, Lula council members to vote on expenditure Monday

When they meet in regular session next week, Lula City Council members will consider spending $29,600 to repair some infrastructure underneath Veterans Park in the city's downtown area.

 

City Manager Dennis Bergin commented after a work session Monday night, saying council members have known for awhile there's a problem around the fountain at the center of the park.

 

"It's a warranted need that we identified a couple of years ago, and we've looked for the best solution," Bergin said. "This [a bid for repair] appears to be the best for long-term improvements."

 

At issue is the support system underneath the grating of the fountain. Bergin said there's a pool underneath the fountain with supports that hold up the grating. The design, he said, worked for a time, but eight years from original construction, there are structural issues around the fountain.

 

"What's been proposed is putting in new infrastructure up underneath [the fountain] in the pool that would allow for the support beams and the decking to be more level," Bergin said.

 

6600 Services LLC out of Douglasville presented a bid for $33,850 to do the repairs, deducting $4,250 if the city will do demolition for the project.

 

Bergin said if city council members approved the capital expense for the project at its Monday meeting, then he hopes work can begin right away.

 

"We've talked with the contractor and it's probably a good 45-day project," said Bergin, noting that it would be good to have the work finished in time for Lula's Christmas in the Park Festival on December 3.