College Station approves Bee Creek and W.A. Tarrow park projects

College Station City Council unanimously approved Feb. 26 contracts to replace playgrounds at Bee Creek Park and W.A. Tarrow Park and to fund related improvements at the Lincoln Recreation Center area.

College Station City Council unanimously approved contracts on Feb. 26 to replace playground equipment at Bee Creek Park and W.A. Tarrow Park and to make improvements in the Lincoln Recreation Center area. The playground replacements were authorized because the existing equipment is aging and in poor condition, according to meeting documents. The council approved a construction contract with Fun Abounds Inc. for the playground work and a separate contract with BH Harris Construction for Lincoln Recreation Center area improvements. The Lincoln work includes site preparation for a premanufactured restroom building planned for delivery this summer. Key details: - The council action took place Feb. 26 and was approved unanimously as part of the consent agenda. - Bee Creek Park is located at 1900 Anderson St., and W.A. Tarrow Park is at 107 Holleman Drive in College Station. - The contract with Sugar Land-based Fun Abounds Inc. covers demolition and installation of new playgrounds, with project costs totaling $398,482 and a city contingency of $39,848.20. Custom-designed playground units supplied by Burke will be installed at each park, per meeting documents. - A separate contract with BH Harris Construction for Lincoln Recreation Center area improvements is $474,128 with a city contingency of $47,412; the work is intended to prepare the site for a prepurchased, premanufactured restroom building expected to be delivered this summer. - The Lincoln Center work is part of improvements outlined in the city's 2022 bond package; meeting documents state $493,488.07 has already been spent from the project’s $1.55 million budget in addition to the Feb. 26 contract cost. - Council members also approved a resolution that raises the city manager’s signing authority for hotel-occupancy-tax-funded expenditures to $250,000 from the prior $100,000 limit; the resolution was recommended by the tourism advisory committee and, according to City Manager Bryan Woods, is intended for time-sensitive opportunities when council approval is not possible. Summary: The approved contracts will fund replacement of playground equipment at two parks and site work at the Lincoln Recreation Center, including preparation for a premanufactured restroom expected this summer. The council also adjusted the hotel-occupancy-tax spending threshold for the city manager to allow quicker commitments for certain tourism events. Undetermined at this time.