CITY TO REBID SHAWNEE PARK PROJECT BECAUSE OF HIGH BIDS

Cape Girardeau will scale back plans for the Shawnee Park sports complex and the Osage Park community center to bring the projects within budget.

The council voted this week to rebid the Shawnee Park project because the original two construction bids were about $500,000 too high.

Kiefner Brothers submitted the low bid of $1.8 million. The architect's estimate had been $1.3 million.

While it is rebidding that project, the city also will seek bids for construction of a community center and parking at Osage Park, a new recreation area being developed near Kingshighway and Mount Auburn Road.

The Shawnee Park project involves construction of five softball fields, a concession building and four additional soccer fields. Plans also include a scoreboard, parking and fencing.

Combined, the two projects are expected to cost about $4.2 million.

City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said Wednesday the city will bid both projects at the same time to ensure sufficient funding to pay for both.

"We may bid them as one package, we may not," he said.

Jim Grebing, chairman of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, said the revisions won't hurt the overall projects.

"There is a master plan being followed and it will be carried out," he said. "We are just trying to do the responsible thing."

The projects are being funded with bonds, which will be retired with money from the city's motel and restaurant taxes and $300,000 to $500,000 in donations from the park foundation.

About $700,000 worth of site work has been done at Shawnee Park, including grading and seeding.

Some dirt work also has been done at Osage Park.

Fischer hopes construction bids can be opened in June. Both projects could be under construction this year.

Fischer said the softball complex could be completed this calendar year, while the community center could be done by early next year.