WINFIELD - Improvements to Hurricane's Valley Park are a step closer to becoming a reality.
After hearing proposals from five architectural and engineering firms vying to make Valley Park's master plan a reality, Putnam County Commissioners quickly decided who will lead the project at their Thursday meeting. Commissioner Andy Skidmore confirmed that GAI Consultants would carry out the hefty process.
But the Pittsburgh-based firm is no stranger to Hurricane Valley Park - it's the same company that has spent the past 14 months developing the park's master plan, first unveiled in August.
Dave Gilmore, director of landscape architecture at GAI, noted that it was "very far ahead" of competing firms while presenting its proposal to commissioners Thursday morning.
"Just by default, we're already in the construction drawing phase," Gilmore said.
He also stressed the importance of oversight and administration after work begins on a project such as Valley Park.
"Sometimes we're on site two, three, four times a day because sometimes during construction, things pop up that you just can't handle in a weekly meeting," Gilmore said.
The master plan for Hurricane Valley park, which includes a myriad of enhancements and additions to its facilities, is divided into four phases, with the first three phases to be executed through the upcoming project.
Phase one would include improvements to the park entrance; a new maintenance building; reconverting the current maintenance building into a new outdoor farmers market and bazaar venue; reconfiguring the community center building for more recreational programs and constructing a baseball and softball triplex.
Phase two would further enhance existing features at the park, such as Hernshaw Soccer Field, the fish ponds and the outdoor amphitheater. It also includes an extension of Valley Park Drive with an adjoining fitness loop.
Phase three would relocate other facilities to different areas in the park, including the tennis and volleyball courts and the main parking lot. The park's master plan estimates hard costs for the three phases could reach about $7 million, Skidmore said.
County commissioners expect construction to begin in the spring.
Other firms that gave proposals to lead the project were Alpha Associates Inc., based in Morgantown; Thrasher Engineering, based in Bridgeport; Chapman Technical Group, out of St. Albans and Charleston-based Silling Associates.
When asked if GAI's prior involvement with the park plan was a major reason for commission's decision in its favor, Skidmore said "that was definitely a factor," but all of the firms "had tremendous backgrounds and examples of what [projects] they've done previously."
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazette.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.