The proposal to make amends to the original plan was presented by Fitchburg city staff. Wade Thompson, the city community planner, presented the city’s alders with four possibilities on how the project can be amended in order to achieve its goals. The change is needed because price estimates for the project that were made in April 2020 have gone up by 15 percent.
The Common Council will make a final decision on the new design on March 22nd. Additional funding may be required depending on which option the council chooses. The final design for a project like this one is often presented using brochure printing.
Thompson went on to say:
“Our estimates are a bit old. I think if the intention is to keep the integrity of our Phase I design, we will have to identify other funding sources and/or cost reduction.”
Phase I of the project was originally given a budget of $2.5 million but the cost now stands at $2.9 million. This first phase includes the installation of an ice rink, an outdoor basketball court, a playground, and a community building. Phase I of construction was included in the city’s operating budget for 2021 although construction costs for the outdoor structure, which stand at $1.5 million, were not included in the initial projections.