LOWER LEDGE PROJECT COST UPDATE

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

I'm not on the official ACC committee for the Ouachita River Project, but I have access to the information contained below via the city of Malvern. Contact your official committee members for full details.

The cost estimate has been received from McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group for bringing the design to the 30% plans complete stage. The estimate can be seen at the link below:

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The cost estimate for the original design and construction can also be found at that link. As noted in the photo caption, the original design and construction was expected to cost less than $100,000. The present balance in Malvern's account for this project is about $129,000. That figure includes $12,000 raised from the sales of the ACC's Arkayakansas DVD, a $50,000 grant from the Ouachita River Commission, a $75,000 donation from a private party, and a deduction for funds spent on the original design and bid lettings (Malvern's contribution to the original project from other city funds is not known). The ACC should have $8000 in its Rockport Fund left over from an Entergy grant of $10,000 for the project. The ACC spent $2000 from that grant to bring the MCDG engineers to visit the site two weeks ago.

The MWDG number is not the final design cost or any of the construction cost. When information on those numbers is received, it will be posted. At this point, it looks like the design fees will be higher than those of the original. Construction material cost for the current design will also have to include a cost for rock since MWDG wants to use stone from a source other than the Malvern quarry for surfaces that will get human contact. Smoother stone was found at Bennett Brothers in Jessieville that met their requirements; its cost was $180/ton.

In general, the cost for the redesign and construction appears like it is going to be significantly higher than the original project's. We may be faced with the need for additional fundraising or a need to rethink the project.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

The next meeting of the Ouachita River Park Commission, which advises Malvern's Mayor on this project, is at 6:30 p.m. on THURSDAY, October 22, 2009 at Wilson Elementary School in Malvern, 614 W. Moline Street. These meetings are always open to the public. The project will be discussed at the meeting; the Mayor will be informed of the discussion; the Mayor holds final say over the direction the project takes.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[ScottH]

I AM on the official ACC Committee for the Ouachita River Project, but have not received any of this information yet. I have been waiting to hear something about this but was unaware anything had been received yet. It sure would be nice if all information about this project was communicated to the ACC Ouachita River Committee first and then the committee could distribute the facts without opinion or speculation to the ACC members. A little hard for me to discuss the full details with a member before I even get to see a copy of it.

Scott Hanshaw
ACC Ouachita River Project Committee member

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

Emailed it to Lance and Cowper Friday; thought they would be forwarding it to all committee members.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[pacorollo]

Mike, thanks for the info and for the head's up on the meeting next week. Paco aka Frank Roland

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

From email received on 10/19/09:

Final design and construction oversight costs were estimated by MWDG to be about $50,000. The total cost of the design proposal then comes to about $79,000. The actual cost of construction will have to be added to that.

After I made an estimate of quantities from the plans for our last letting attempt in 2007, a Malvern based contractor roughly estimated the construction cost to be $250,000 (about a year ago). Those plans were for a stripped to the bone version of the project. I would expect a higher cost for our current proposal since it may involve two wave features and purchased rock.

My guess is that we are looking at a total design and construction cost of at least $79,000 + $250,000 + $121,000 = $450,000. Can we raise $300,000+ to make this project a reality?

Do we have an alternative?

Those questions will be discussed at the Park Commission meeting this Thursday as noted in an earlier post above.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

I received a clarification from MWDG. The cost of final design and construction oversight would be about $30,000 rather than the $50,000 figure I posted. Total project cost can be lowered to about $430,000.

Captain Aleve, alias Mike Coogan

[jmdauf]

so i suppose this meeting (2-nite 10-22) is open to the public? would it be prudent to attend? hope the new updated price doesn't kill the project. does anybody know where the human contact imported rock (bennett bros $$$$$) is to be used? is this ungreen?
love the rock'
mitch

[jackatspa]

The next meeting of the Ouachita River Park Commission, which advises Malvern's Mayor on this project, is at 6:30 p.m. on THURSDAY, October 22, 2009 at Wilson Elementary School in Malvern, 614 W. Moline Street. These meetings are always open to the public.

so why dont we all just show up and help to pursuade the mayor to get something rolling!