City commission also approves $748,000-plus bid for press box
The Henderson City Commission approved issuing $12.165 million in bonds Tuesday that will go to fund the new fire station, a convention center at Audubon State Park, a sports pavilion at Newman Park and a connector road proposed to parallel I-69, which would connect Wathen Lane to Barret Boulevard.
City Manager Buzzy Newman said bids for the new fire station will probably be put out in mid-November to December.
He also said the sports pavilion at Newman Park has been planned for “well over five years.”
Mayor Brad Staton said he has spoken to Mark Kellen, the current Kentucky Department of Parks director of operations and former park manager of Audubon State Park, who informed him that Gov. Andy Beshear has determined the convention center at Henderson’s state park to be a priority project.
Staton said he was told by Kellen that the governor would like to see a “ribbon-cutting by the time he leaves office.”
In addition, Staton said the city’s match of funding for the project, which in the project’s early stages was projected at $3.75 million, will probably be closer to $2.5 or $2.75 million. Most of the funding for the $17 million project will come from the state. County government will also provide funding.
In another matter at Tuesday’s meeting, the city commission approved a $748,690 bid from Arc Construction to build a press box at the new athletic complex. Two other companies bid on the work, one with a $887,920 estimation and the other at $968,450.
Assistant City Manager Dylan Ward said funding for the press box is not in addition to but rather a part of the current $18.5 million price tag for the athletic complex currently being completed on Airline Road.
Ward said the press box is a two-story structure that measures about 14,000 square feet. On one side of the first floor, there will be a concession stand, and on the other, there will be male and female restrooms.
On the top floor will be the press box area as well as a private office, most likely to be used by the company hired to run the complex’s day-to-day activities, and a private restroom, Ward said.
The job also includes a 10-foot wide concrete path, large concrete areas where bleachers will be placed, and large fabric shading structures for spectators, Ward said.
Of the price, Ward said, “When you put it all together, it adds up.”
