Construction bid awarded for Whitewater Park repair

Spallone to work through winter

On Tuesday, February 3, the Gunnison County Public Works Department awarded a bid to Spallone Construction, which will promptly begin repair work on the Whitewater Park in Gunnison. The park has suffered severe damage since it was first built 12 years ago and two of the three features that create waves for recreational boaters require immediate attention if they are to survive another season.

Gunnison County Public Works Department director Marlene Crosby said there also used to be a counter-weir just downstream from Feature #3, but it has since been washed away. Crosby said the project should be undertaken in winter because the engineer does not believe Feature #3 can survive a heavy spring run-off, and if it is completely destroyed the integrity of Feature #2 will be at risk.
The county secured a $350,000 GOCO (Great Outdoors Colorado) grant to help pay for the work, which is estimated to cost about $606,000. “As soon as the contractor can get mobilized,” Crosby said, “they have 55 consecutive calendar days to complete the project.” Since the county rewarded the bid at the February 3 commissioners’ meeting, the contractor should be able to begin work by February 14 and finish in mid-April, before spring run-off peaks.