The city of Clear Lake is moving forward with its City Beach enhancement project.
The Clear Lake City Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution setting a public hearing for the first phase of the project at 6 p.m. on Sept. 16 at City Hall, 15 N. Sixth St., and setting the project’s bid letting for 11 a.m. Sept. 12.
“The bulk of this (phase), as we’ve talked, would be water main, so not a lot to get real excited about at this point,” said Scott Flory, Clear Lake city administrator.
The first phase of the project, estimated to cost $230,000, contains water main improvements and demolition of the restroom facility and pump shed.
The pump shed, located on city property adjacent to the water treatment plant, houses the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ lake aeration pumps and associated equipment, but once the shed is demolished, the equipment will be stored through the winter in a temporary building constructed this fall.
The full scope of the beach project — identified as a capital improvement in the city’s 2020 budget — includes the removal and replacement of the existing city restroom at City Beach, the removal and expansion of the existing splash pad, the removal and replacement of the existing playground equipment with shade structure and miscellaneous underground utility improvements.
The council plans to award the contract for the first phase of the project on Sept. 16 after the public hearing.
The estimated project cost, plus the unit price contaminated soil removal and replacement at $45 per cubic yard, or $29,250, paid for by Clear Lake's general fund, will be reimbursed by the city's tax-increment fund for capital improvement as approved by the City Council.
Work is anticipated to begin on Sept. 24 and be completed Nov. 28, with aerator pumps operating by Nov. 15.
The remainder of the project, including construction of the restroom, splash pad and playground, will be done next year.