County of park: Warren County
Location of park: Market St & Laura St., Truesdale
"The city of Truesdale is awarding a contract for various upgrades at Bruer Park to Freise Construction for $252,000.
"The project includes a new basketball halfcourt, concrete sidewalk and walking trail, parking lots, playground equipment, landscaping, other park features and all the necessary groundwork for the project.
"The most expensive aspects of the project are the paving, which makes up roughly a quarter of the cost, as well as a new playground, which will cost about $38,000 for play equipment and an additional $35,700 for soft play surface, according to bid information supplied by Cochran Engineering.
"Freise Construction’s bid was actually the second-lowest bid submitted for the park construction. The low bidder, Spalding Construction, was rejected because the company did not properly sign and seal their bid. Engineer Cole Deming with Cochran Engineering said there were several bidders who were rejected because of mistakes.
'“It was a little hectic. There were several bidders who had mathematical errors in their bid form. There were a couple bidders who had to be disqualified because they did not sign or seal their bid,” Deming said.
"Half of the cost of the Bruer Park improvements will be reimbursed through a cost-share grant administered by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
"City Administrator MaryLou Rainwater said DNR needs to give its blessing to award the bid to Freise Construction, and then the Truesdale Board of Aldermen will approve a contract with the company to get construction started. City officials hope for the work to start by early May to have it done by October. Freise will have 120 days to complete the project once it receives a notice to proceed.
"Freise’s crew will have to coordinate their work with a separate team from TS Banze who are currently building a new community center and storm shelter in the park. The community shelter project is being paid for by a separate pool of money, largely funded by a grant from FEMA.
"Rainwater said Truesdale plans to have a coordinating meeting with the two construction companies to make sure both projects proceed without any interference from the other. If everything goes as planned, both the community building and the park improvements will be ready for Truesdale’s Railroad Days festival the first weekend of October." ~ Warren County Record, Adam Rollins, April 5, 2021