Yesterday afternoon, Tyrone Borough took the latest step in its plans to make improvements at the community swimming pool at Reservoir Park.
Bids were opened on the project during a public session attended by borough officials and contractors.
Borough Manager Sharon Dannaway opened the four bids. Base bids for the project ranged from a low of $354,846.84 to a high bid of $554,703. The project also included several alternate bids. The base bids and the alternates combined ranged from a low of $539,600 to $700,954 under one scenario regarding the main pool’s deck and a low of $528,600 to a high of $651,841 under another scenario.
The apparent low bidder, for both base bids and a combination of alternate bids, was Maines Engineering and Construction of Tyrone. Their base bid was $354,846.84. Using the alternates combined with the base bid, Maines came in with bids ranging from $528,600 to $539,600, depending on which options are selected by council.
The borough accepted four alternate bids for the project to allow council to pick and chose how certain parts of the project are done and to add to the basic improvements.
Senior project manager Ken Grubb of CET engineering was on hand for the bid opening. He explained the basic project and the different choices available to the borough.
“The base bid involves rehabilitating the main pool itself,” said Grubb. “The primary objective here is to put a liner in the bottom of the pool. In addition to that is the removal of existing (diving boards) and the installation of a circular sliding board. (Also there are certain mechanical rehabilitations that are happening to the pool.”
The base bid also includes the removal of the entire wading pool area. The project calls for the creation of an “entirely new facility” for the children’s pool area with a number of features. Grubb said an installation of a new pump for the wading pool is called for in the project.
He explained the alternates include allowing the borough a choice on completing a new deck around the main pool. In one scenario, contractors would remove the deck and install a new concrete one. In the other scenario, the borough would remove the concrete and then the contractor would “pour the new deck.”
The third alternate calls for a coating to be put on the deck. The fourth alternate is the addition of a new feature in the main pool, which is “a straight slide.”
The borough has earmarked $200,000 in its budget for the project. Also earlier this year, it reallocated CDBG money to complete the funding.
When asked when the borough would make a decision on the bids, Dannaway said council is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, Sept. 6. She said council will probably decide quickly so that the contractor can get to work as soon as possible after the pool closes for the season.
Borough engineer Ray Myers has advised her that the project cannot be completed in its entirety in the fall. She said the children’s pool area would be worked on first. She said the liner for the pool would be done in the spring. The borough has been advised work on the lining needs to be done in the better weather conditions available in the spring.
