By KEVIN RICH
Special to the PRESS
The fate of the proposed skate park at Tompkins Park remains uncertain after construction bids came in much higher than the balance of funds the City of South Padre Island had set aside for the project. The state park’s future sparked a strong reaction from residents who support the project, prompting many of them to attend last Wednesday’s city council meeting to listen in on the discussions.
Assistant City Manager Darla Jones provided background information on the project. She explained that the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Committee has been working for more than a year on the proposed park.
“An engineer was hired, as is required by law,” Jones said. “The engineer designed the skate park; we went out for bids on it, and the bids came in in excess of the funding we have available,” she said.
Jones added that the SPI Economic Development Corporation (EDC) earmarked $100,000 toward the construction of the skate park, $10,000 of which was used for engineering.
The City received two bids on the construction of the park. The bids included four design alternatives, including a scaled down base proposal of approximately 2,800 square feet of skating surface, one with an additional mini ramp, a version that includes a bowl, and a design that provides an additional 1,000 square feet of length to the park.
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