The demolition, however, won’t happen until after the first of next month, which Fairfield Parks Director Jim Bell said the contractor “will get us into his schedule.”
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If the park was built out in a single phase, it could cost around $3.6 million, according to city officials. The project could be built in five to six phases over several years.
“We’re going to try to phase it into our CIP (Capital Improvement Plan),” said Bell of the five-year capital expense plan. It’s planned that half the phases will be included into the capital financial plan, he said.
Fairfield City Engineer Ben Mann said it should only take a couple weeks for J.W. Brennan Excavating in Ross Twp. to raze the buildings, cap the utilities and reroute any electric that runs to the buildings.
Harbin Park touches seven neighborhoods, and Mayor Steve Miller said connecting the park to the community was one of the top priorities for residents when surveyed.
“We are committed to improving Harbin Park to a level that it should be,” he said.
Once the key pieces of Harbin Park projects are completed, he said the city will continue overtime to connect the communities with hiking/biking trails.
“Bringing down these buildings, that’s just the beginning,” Miller said.
The demolition of the buildings is part of the redevelopment of the park’s overlook. The design of the phase is set to happen this year and bidding for construction could happen at the end of this year or early in 2018.
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The plan for the overlook is to make it a pedestrian-only access area, he said. Currently traffic is directed around a one-way circle, which also has a small parking area. The overlook gives a picturesque view of the northern portions of the city.
The city will also work on the design of the perimeter trail concurrently with the overlook project, and also could be bid out later this year or early next year.
Bell said city officials will work to phase in all of the projects “so we can keep the park open as best we can.”
Right now the city is clearing out the buildings, which also includes a metal building next to the barn, before any demolition work begins. The contract calls for razing the buildings, leveling the land and converting it back to green space.
Tearing down the three buildings, redesigning the overlook and improving the perimeter trail are projects are the low-hanging fruit the city can check off the lengthy list as it gives Harbin Park a makeover.
Other projects include a new upper parking lot, a new playground, replacing antiquated picnic shelters, constructing an entertainment center, a redesign of the disc golf course and a realignment of the entrance into the park. Some projects may close areas of the park for a season, Bell said.
“We’ll be starting at the ends and work the way to the middle,” said Bell, adding that the entrance to the park at Hunter Road should be the last project to complete.
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