The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors, Tuesday, approved the contract and plans for a Parks and Rec Office and Maintenance Building. The plans were drawn-up by Snyder and Associates Engineers. Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring said the Building Committee scaled-down the plans from an earlier concept due to costs and other factors. He said the decision was made to change the strategy on how the building would be bid out, which essentially amounts to what Herring calls “A shell,” with basic areas inside, along with alternate options. From there, a cost assessment will be made.

Herring says they have a certain amount of dollars to work with. The total estimated project cost is $311,000, but Herring said the Building Committee hopes to find a way to cut $80,000 from that price tag, by having a skeletal electrical system in the shop area, insulation modifications, plumbing and heating changes, through the use of temporary light fixtures, and gravel in the driveway. Engineering costs have also been reduced due to the changes in the latest design. Herring says he hopes to have the project let for bids soon around March 6^th, bid openings on March 27^th, and awarding of the project at the City Council’s meeting on April 3^rd.

In other business, the Atlantic Parks and Rec Board approved the 2013 Master Plan for the Schildberg Recreation Area. The 2003 plan, which was never actually formalized or presented to the Parks and Rec Board or the City Council for approval, was created by an Ad Hoc group. Herring said the City Council wanted the Parks and Rec Board and Schildberg Recreation Committee to work together and come up with a final plan the Council could also approve.

Some of the changes to the 2003 plan include the addition of future trails, including the addition of a connector to the T-Bone trail, a fishing pier that is handicapped accessible, a proposed dog park, R-V campground and parking area, and more.