Wentzville Aldermen Question Process to Hire Park Developer

After delaying a vote for two weeks in order to get more information on the process used to recommend a design firm, the Wentzville Board of Aldermen approved the selection of Planning Design Studio.

Planning Design Studio along with its partners JACOBS and Water's Edge will handle the planning and construction of the city's three new facilities.

Board members questioned the methods used by the selection committee to come to their decision. Alderman Leon Tow voiced concern with how the Request for Qualifications was worded.

The city's request for proposals expressed a preference for one firm to handle the two parks and waterpark, but said it would accept bids from firms that only wanted to handle the parks or the pool.

Tow was concerned that firms submitted just for the pools weren't weighted equally with firms that asked to handle both projects.

"I don't dispute that this is the right firm for the job," Tow said when the board debated the process. "I just want to make sure that we handled it fairly."

After much discussion at an earlier board meeting, the selection committee provided the board with their original findings, reformulated to account for only what each firm applied to do. 

Once provided with the new information, the board voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the selection committee's recommendation.

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Park Sales Tax

The half-cent sales tax was approved Aug. 2, 2010 and the city began to collect the tax Jan. 1. The parks sales tax generated over the next 20 years will pay the financing bond debt and the operational cost of the new facilities.

Peruque Valley Park

Peruque Valley Park will be located at 1335 South Point Prairie Road. Construction costs are estimated at $11,093,180 for full park development. The phases and costs are as follows. 

Phase I — $5,950,790 funded through sales tax.

• Develop park entry and drive to the four-field node, 
• Develop four ball fields with shelter
• Bridge over central water feature
• Environmental meadow
• Utilities
• Restrooms
• Concessions
• Develop one trail with paved perimeter loop trail on the south side of Peruque Creek
• Begin bio-detention lake site
• Three single table shelters

Heartland Park

Heartland Park will be located at 100 Dierberg Drive, just off Wentzville Parkway. It is estimated to cost $8,339,525 for full-park development. The phases and costs are as follows. 

Phase I — $4,384,400 from the sales tax. It includes:

• Entry signage and landscaping
• Parking adjacent to the shopping center
• Two fields on west side and water service for irrigation
• Internal park loop trail
• General landscaping
• Aquatic feature
• Pier and shelter on water
• Boardwalk on aquatic feature
• Riparian landscape and wildlife enhancement at aquatic feature

Splash Station

The new aquatic center was sought by Wentzville residents in the 2004 master plan. The new facility will be located at 1141 Peine Road. To see a video on the project, click here.

Because the aquatic center is being created from the ground up, there were no specific promises made regarding what would be completed in each phase. The design firm will seek public input on what features should be in the facility later this fall. 

The pool in  had over 53,443 users in 2010.