At last Tuesday’s meeting of the Badin Town Council, council members and the public received an update on when work could begin on the town’s waterfront park.

Chris Coleman of architectural company Becker-Morgan said the Phase 1 plan is “a 99% finalized plan.” Because of flooding issues a “slight pedestrian bridge” from the parking lot to the park will be built, he said.

Entrance to the parking lot will be from Walnut Street near the intersection of Walnut and Field Lane.

A pavilion with stage and restrooms will be inside a circular concrete sidewalk near the eastern side of the property.

“We are leaving some room in the grass areas (for) in the future, if you get some additional grant funding, you can add to the pavement or the concrete for what we’re calling the stage area,” Coleman said.

The plan has spots for utility trucks to be able to pull up to specific areas if needed. The facilities will have two water fountains outside which people can fill their bottles and a pet bowl at the bottom of the fixture. The pavilion will have a red burgundy brick façade and the stage will have timber framing “to provide a nice, rustic feel,” Coleman said.

Coleman said Becker-Morgan will submit plans to Stanly County for permits this month.

Along with the park are plans to improve the heating and air conditioning and other changes at the Badin Conference Center, he said. The center had been used during the pandemic as a larger meeting space for the town council, but the air conditioning had problems last summer. Plans for improvements to the conference center will be filed soon after the park’s plans, Coleman added.

Grey London, with Miles-McClellan Construction Company, said the company would partner with Badin for the next year in terms of budgeting.

According to London, the construction company priced out the initial plans for the park as put forth by Benesch, a civil engineering company. Those plans would cost the town $3.2 million.

“We put a price together for the whole thing, even though we knew couldn’t afford the whole thing,” London said.

London said the budget has been trimmed to $1.8 million, with the hopes of getting it closer to the $1.5 million, the amount of the grant the town received.

A bid process for contractors, London said, should start around the end of January and will last two to three weeks. When asked by a local contractor about a targeted goal for diversity, London said they did not have one stated yet but typically have a target for a minimum of 10%. Bids will be solicited through state forums and planning rooms.

The first phase of the project should break ground in February and take eight to 10 months once materials are secured.