Cost of Marshfield's New Aquatic Center Rising Before Construction Starts
Wednesday, November 27th, 2019 -- 9:39 AM
(WDLB) -The cost of Marshfield's new aquatic center is rising even before construction begins.The Marshfield Common Council voted 8-to-2 last night in favor of covering an additional 500-thousand dollars in what City Parks-and-Recreation Director Justin Casperson said were “soft” costs not directly related to actual construction. Ayres Associates of Eau Claire is the designer and engineer, and the Boson Company will oversee the construction. Casperson added that if the number is six-million, the construction end of the project would need to be adjusted to about five-and-a-half million to cover the soft costs. Multiple members of the Council spoke against scaling the project back, including Alderman Tom Witzel. Last night's vote came as the council was setting the budget for next year, and Alderman Steve Mac Swain wondered where the extra half-million dollars would come from.
Last October, the council signed off on a challenge grant, and agreed to cover half the cost of a new swimming pool for the city, if community fundraising efforts could raise the other half. The cost of the project had been planned at three-million from the city and three-million from private donors. Casperson said the added costs could be spread between the 2020 and 2021 budgets, because construction will start in July of next year, but won’t be completed until 2021, so final payment won’t be due until then. Alderman Adam Fischer joined Mac Swain in voting against the additional costs of an aquatic center which will replace the 85-year-old Hefko Pool.
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