Next week, the Gary Common Council is likely to award a contract to a Gary-based firm to handle the renovation of the Hudson-Campbell Sports & Fitness Center, even though actual work on the downtown building’s rehabilitation began last week.
The city-owned facility at 455 N. Massachusetts St. has offered a variety of fitness and sports programs for Gary residents for the past three decades.
But it is closed to the public for the spring and summer months this year, as work began on the renovation on April 3. Officials say the project is scheduled to be complete by late August.
Powers & Sons is handling the project, even though the $2.62 million contract for the project has yet to be formally awarded. The Common Council’s finance committee on Tuesday reviewed the project, and the full council may give its final approval when they meet again on April 18.
This oddity is possible because the project originally was supposed to be done back in 2012. But work did not begin on schedule, and the original government grants that were to pay for the project had to be re-awarded.
Which meant that new bids had to be accepted for the contract, even though the end result is the same, in terms of who will do the work.
The new project will not be completely identical. Gary Community Development Director Arlene Colvin said the project will now include a few extra details that will increase the total cost by $175,000.
Among the improvements to be made to the facility are a touch up of the outer facade that will include a power wash, a repair of the facility’s indoor walking trail and some purchases of new exercise equipment, although Colvin told Common Council members that Parks Department officials are going through all the existing equipment to determine how much of it is still in proper working condition.
She also said there are hopes that the city administrative offices in the building used by the Parks Department can be improved as well, although the Community Development Block Grant funds the city received for the project have restrictions that would prevent any of that money from being used for non-recreation facilities or equipment in the project.
Colvin said city officials are seeking additional grants that could cover a $30,000 expense for the administrative offices, including the purchase of new furniture that Colvin says is needed to replace current furnishings that date back to 1986 and are extremely worn out.
Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter at the Post-Tribune.
