TYLER, Texas — Earlier this summer, the City of Tyler announced the closure of Fun Forest Pool due to a critical leak.
Tyler Parks Director Russ Jackson says the city already had plans to renovate the pool, after the summer season in August.
"Unfortunately, the 80 years caught up to us quicker than what the planners were for the Half Cent money," Jackson said. "We just have an extremely aged infrastructure."
The city planned on fixing the issue within three months, but Jackson says the only bid the city received was $2 million.
"So we had to reject those portions," Jackson explained. "We're going back basically to the drawing board."
Not only did the city not find a contractor for the pool, but Jackson says he also has not heard back from Whirlix Design Inc., the contractor for the Fun Forest and Woldert Park splash pads.
During the city council meeting on Wednesday, Jackson will present an idea to combine the two projects. Which he says could save the city some money because the pool and splash pad will run on the same system.
"We don't really need a new design for the one at Woldert, because it's still a simple process of being done," Jackson said. "But we do have to find another vendor that can actually do that."
In the presentation that will go before the council, the splash pad at Fun Forest will have a new design. Jackson says it will be where the current shallow end of the pool is instead of beside the pool. The new pool will be smaller and start where the current deep end is.
The new project, an architectural and design agreement from the C.T. Brannon Corporation, will not exceed $62,900 for the Fun Forest Pool and Splash pad repurpose project and the Woldert Park splash pad repurpose project.
This includes an amount not to exceed $14,000 for the finalization of construction administration of both parks.
Jackson will ask for the contract with Whirlix Design Inc. to rescind the funding of $850,991. Saving the city more than $774,000.