Council here is considering spending $18,000 to provide adequate drainage for a new ball diamond under construction in Clifford.
Council learned in November the ball diamond, being constructed on lands obtained from the Clifford Rotary Club, required additional drainage. Vergeer Golf Inc., the company contracted to prepare the field indicated they could do the work for an additional $18,000.
However, at council’s direction, recreation facilities manager Al Carr attempted to obtain quotes from local contractors in the hope of getting the job done for a lower cost.
At the Dec. 4 meeting, Carr reported two local contractors had been contacted, but had so far been unable to arrange to view the site and provide a price on the job.
Carr suggested it might be more practical and cost-effective in the long run to give the job to the original contractor, who has already placed the sod for the diamond.
Council accepted Carr’s recommendation to consider Vergeer Golf’s price during budget deliberations as an extension to the approved tender, “as the company has performance requirements in their contract with the town on the grass/sod installation.”
Mayor George Bridge, who attended a site meeting on Nov. 27, along with councillors Ron Elliott and Ron Faulkner and representatives of the consulting firm and contractor working on the job, said the drainage issues were unforeseen.
Surface water flow from nearby residential properties was determined to be causing water to pool on the diamond.
However the situation didn’t exist before construction began, Bridge explained.
“By moving some of that dirt around, we’ve created the drainage issues,” the mayor stated.
In July, Council accepted a tender from Vergeer Golf for $121,454 to proceed with the reconstruction of the Clifford soccer pitch and prepare a new infield and outfield for a new Clifford ball diamond.
