TO: Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Robin Kampmann, City Engineer
SUBJECT:
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River Park Splash Pad and Rehabilitation Project Update
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RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
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Receive information regarding the status of the River Park Splash Pad and Rehabilitation Project and provide direction to staff.
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SUMMARY:
The purpose of this report is informational only and is intended to provide the City Council and the citizens of the City of Red Bluff with a status update for the River Park Splash Pad and Rehabilitation Project.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
On February 17, 2026, City Council rejected all bids received for the Construction of the Red Bluff River Park Rehabilitation Project, Splash Park and authorized staff to work with Project Design Team to reduce the scope of this phase of the project to keep it within the available budget, while still achieving the design elements that were included within the grant application, and to readvertise for construction proposals.
On September 2, 2025, City Council authorized and approved advertisement of RFP’s for Construction River Park Rehabilitation Project and authorized staff to pre-purchase certain elements with long lead-times.
On April 12, 2023, City Council authorized and approved the award of the contract for Landscape Architect and Engineering Design Services for the River Park Rehabilitation Project to Melton Design Group, Inc.
On February 7, 2023, the City Council approved the Request for Proposals (RFP) for Landscape Architect and Engineering Design Services for the Red Bluff River Park Rehabilitation Project and authorized staff to advertise the RFP.
DISCUSSION:
As directed by the City Council in February of this year, staff has worked with the design team to reduce the Phase I scope of the River Park Splash Pad and Rehabilitation Project in an attempt to keep the project costs within the available budget while still achieving the design elements that were included within the grant application, and has obtained new construction bids for the project.
The project was put out to bid in late July, and multiple bids were received in early August for the project. Unfortunately, the lowest apparent bid was still $410,000 over the grant funding available for the project.
City Staff have been working to try to secure additional funding to be able to award the project. Funding options explored include additional grant funding, park funding allocated to capital improvement projects, and outside gap financing. The intention is not to impact the general fund.
Although construction was initially expected to begin late summer/early fall, the award must be delayed until full funding is secured. Recognizing the importance of a timely award, staff have been working with the apparent low bidder to develop a potential construction schedule. With the project site located within the Sacramento River floodway both staff and the contractor are hesitant to break ground and start the construction leading into this winter knowing the projections of a “very strong” or “super” El Nino between the months of November and January. The contractor is confident that starting during a dryer less impactful season such as the spring will not extend the project beyond the grant required completion date of June 2028. The later start date will also allow for the City to secure additional funding and not put the project at risk for damage or additional cost associated with a potentially wet winter.
CITY FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with receiving this informational report.
ATTACHMENTS:
None