Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to modify an existing contract with O.A. Spencer, Inc. for the North Star Playground Project. The modification will add additional funding and extend the contract term. The additional funding being authorized by this ordinance is $133,529.00, with a contingency of $16,471.00, for a total of $150,000.00.
This modification involves detailed design, including the preparation of construction plans and specifications. It will also involve permits and bidding documents. The North Star Playground Project seeks to capture the historical, cultural, and geographical relevance of the hidden passage to freedom through the installation of thematic playground equipment and safety surfacing. This project will create the opportunity to educate visitors about an important time in history. It will also engage all ages and abilities in physical activity and play. This portion of the project is now called North Star. The original project completion date of the project was October 17, 2025. The modified project completion date, as a result of the proposed modification, will be March 13, 2026.
The Alum Creek Corridor served as a major hidden passage to freedom route for enslaved people to escape from the south to the north in the decades leading up to the American Civil War. The Recreation and Parks Department is seeking to highlight this time in history and how it has shaped the region. The Department plans to accomplish this through a series of installments in the parks and trails along the Alum Creek Corridor. The Department intends to develop a new installation annually, unveiling the design each February during Black History Month. North Star will be located on the south side of the Hayden Park parcel and will be the first of these installations. Alum Creek Greenway Trail is to the east, Nelson Road on the west, and a piece of land owned by the Columbus Metropolitan Library w...
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