Bridgeport Revitalization Committee reviews tree sculpture parking lot draft design

BRIDGEPORT – The draft drawings done by city engineers Gray & Osborne for the tree sculpture parking have been received by Superintendent of Public Works Stuart Dezellem. Those renderings together with the bid process for Berryman Park work were the two main issues on the table at the monthly meeting of the Revitalization Committee last Thursday, May 2.

The design phase for the tree sculpture parking lot must be concluded by August 14 per terms of the Rural Development grant. Dezellem and Robb noted a few discrepancies in the initial draft drawings that Dezellem will address with the engineers.

Berryman Park bids

Dezellem said bid requests for Berryman Park renovation work will appear in the Daily Journal of Commerce and the Wenatchee World with the bid closure scheduled for May 21. Gray & Osborne will review the bids and the city council could award the contract at a special May 22 meeting. Dezellem said he hopes to have contract work underway in early June. The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is funding the Berryman upgrade.

“It’s not a big job,” said Dezellem. “It’s bidding a trail, some sidewalk work, and dirt prep for the bathroom.”

Northwest Playground will handle the installation of the playground equipment.

The CXT precast bathroom will be delivered without charge in June.

The picnic shelter from the west side is scheduled. 

Downtown Street Renovation

In other business, Dezellem reminded Robb of the possibility of funding help from the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) for the downtown sidewalk renovation project. Dezellem attended a recent Douglas County Transportation Council meeting of small city mayors on behalf of Bridgeport Mayor Sergio Orozco and learned that guidelines that govern funding urban or rural have been heavily urban. More funds need to be directed to rural projects.

“That means we’ve got a good shot at getting funding,” Dezellem reported at the April committee meeting.

Economic Alliance help

A summer intern with the Economic Alliance will help with Bridgeport business surveys and share ideas about how other cities are dealing with issues business owners have. One Robb mentioned is unauthorized marketing practices such as what occurred earlier at the weigh station area at the junction of highways 97 and 17. The county installed no parking signs where vendors were selling goods in competition with area businesses and doing so without the required permits.

A similar situation is occurring at the vacant gas station on Bridgeport Bar which has raised concerns with respondents in Bridgeport business surveys. 

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media