Work on Thornton Park in Ottawa will continue soon

The Ottawa City Council approved an agreement Tuesday with Ruiz Construction, paying $9,862.50 to continue concrete work at Thornton Park.

Also approved during this meeting was a mutual release agreement between Hacienda Landscaping and the city, formalizing the two parting ways in regard to work on the Thornton Park restoration project.

The Ottawa City Council terminated an agreement with Hacienda Landscaping in July over concerns the project was behind deadline, among some other issues.

Hacienda Landscaping initially won the bidding on the project, which includes a new splash pad, new playground equipment, refurbished tennis courts, two pickleball courts, a basketball court, rehabilitation work on the shelter and other items.

Mayor Dan Aussem said Hacienda Landscaping provided Ottawa with all the playground equipment purchased for the Thornton Park project and the city has paid Hacienda Landscaping for the equipment and its work on the project before the agreement was terminated.

“We’re looking at options for playground equipment still and Hacienda hadn’t yet gotten a contract for the tennis and pickleball courts,” Aussem said. “We’re looking at alternative plans for that.”

The Thornton Park project was made possible by the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development Grant, which covers 50% of the $558,239 project and has a deadline of August 2022 for completion.

The mayor said after seeing the success of the Project Inclusive Park at Lincoln-Douglas Park, the city would like to ensure all of its parks are handicapped accessible in the future.