McEuen on track
<p>President of Welch Comer Engineers and Surveyors, Phil Boyd, left, talks with Travis Forsman, right, and Adam Morris, middle, of Cameron Reilly, LLC about an issue with the grade of a sidewalk at McEuen Park Wednesday.</p>
<p>Jess Freeman with Forever Lawn levels some gravel Wednesday at the new play structure in McEuen Park. The company is putting in foam pads and hi-tech grass infused with shredded recycled rubber to add around 11 feet of fall protection around the entire structure.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - The McEuen Park project is on track according to the engineers who gave an update to the Four County Natural Resource Committee on Wednesday.
Phil Boyd and Dell Hatch from Welch Comer Engineers spent an hour updating the group on progress and changes that have been made over the life of the project.
The most recent change was the removal of the sundial on the promenade portion of the project.
Instead, Hatch told the group the $51,000 that was going to be spent on that project is now being used to install heavier electrical infrastructure to support major events at the park.
"They did fall a little behind on dry utilities," Boyd said. "But they should be able to make that up."
Overall, they said the project is on schedule to have all of the hardscape aspects finished by mid-November - leaving most of the landscaping until spring.
However, Boyd said there is a chance that the east side of the park closest to the library will be hydro-seeded this fall so the grass has time to set before officially opening that portion of the park next spring.
"There are a lot of elements to this though," he said, adding irrigation will have to be put in. "And who will mow it? You know, stuff like that."
Some of the more unique features that have been added include a water recycling unit under the Harbor House that will recycle water from the splash pad and stormwater runoff, which will be used to irrigate the park.
"It has been more complex to design, but it'll be worth it," Boyd said.
Sandy Emerson, the Four County Committee chair, suggested that the engineers try and incorporate an educational piece that explains the water system to the public.
"Up until now all that stormwater runoff went right into the lake," he said.
Padded Astroturf will be installed under the playground equipment and the climbing rock areas as well, they said.
The parking garage should be finished as well and Front Street re-opened.
In all, there will be 453 parking spaces in that structure, and an additional 128 parking spaces in the east parking area. There also will be 22 boat trailer spaces in the parking garage area.