Parks and Recreation Committee

### Meeting Overview The Parks and Recreation Committee met on July 7, 2025, to consider awarding a construction contract for Phase 1B improvements to the Hundred Acre Wood park. The committee unanimously approved awarding the $719,331 contract to Faber Construction for habitat restoration and trail improvements. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Phase 1B:** The second part of phase one of the Hundred Acre Wood project, focusing on habitat restoration and trail improvements after feasibility work was completed in an earlier phase. **Responsive and Responsible Bidder:** A contractor who properly submitted their bid according to specifications (responsive) and has the financial capacity, experience, and qualifications to complete the project (responsible). **Engineer's Estimate:** The city's projected cost for a construction project, used as a baseline to evaluate whether bids are reasonable. This project's estimate was $612,017. **Greenways Levy:** A special property tax approved by Bellingham voters to fund parks, trails, and open space improvements throughout the city. **Boardwalks:** Elevated wooden walkways built over wetlands and wet areas to allow trail access while protecting sensitive environmental areas. **Habitat Restoration:** The process of returning degraded natural areas to their original ecological condition through native plantings and removal of invasive species. **BMC 4.94:** Bellingham Municipal Code section requiring apprenticeship utilization on certain construction projects - not applicable to this project due to its size. **Main Vein Trail:** The primary trail corridor planned to connect Upper Fairhaven Park to the Interurban Trail and down toward Chuckanut Drive. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Committee Chair, Fourth Ward Council Member | | Hannah Stone | Committee Member, First Ward Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Committee Member, At-Large Council Member | | Nicole Oliver | Parks & Recreation Director | | Gina Austin | Parks Project Engineer | ### Background Context The Hundred Acre Wood is a forested park area in Bellingham that has experienced trail degradation and habitat damage over time. This project represents a systematic approach to restoring the natural environment while maintaining public access through improved trails. The work is part of a larger master plan for the park and is funded through the city's Greenways Levy, which voters approved specifically for these types of park improvements. The project came in about $100,000 over the engineer's estimate due to current market conditions and material costs - a common occurrence in today's construction environment. The committee had to withdraw the lowest bid due to an error, making Faber Construction the successful bidder. ### What Happened — The Short Version Committee Chair Williams opened the meeting and presented agenda bill 24598 for the Hundred Acre Wood improvements. Nicole Oliver, the Parks & Recreation Director, explained that this Phase 1B work includes habitat restoration, trail improvements, new boardwalks, and a bridge over Hoag's Creek. The city received four bids, with the lowest being withdrawn due to an error. Faber Construction submitted the winning bid of $719,331, about $100,000 over the engineer's estimate due to market conditions. Council Member Cotton asked about the withdrawn bid, and Council Member Lilliquist inquired about boardwalk locations and trail alignment decisions. After brief discussion, Council Member Stone moved to approve the contract, and it passed unanimously 3-0. ### What to Watch Next - Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of July 2025 and finish by February 2026 - Trail closures are expected during active construction, particularly affecting the Interurban Trail access - The approved contract will be forwarded to the full City Council for final authorization at their evening meeting - Future phases of the Hundred Acre Wood project may be considered as this phase progresses ---