The Aurora City Council this week approved upgrading a park between two buildings along both Broadway and the Water Street Mall downtown.
Known unofficially as the “skinny park,” it will get a makeover, thanks to a $261,032 contract with Semper Fi Landscaping Inc., of Yorkville.
The money covers building a concrete walkway with a brick inlay to match other walkways downtown, patio areas also with brick pavers, a water feature, places for art on two building walls on either side of the park, and some of the artwork itself.
It also includes permanent ping pong or bags game paraphernalia.
City officials have said they hope the park becomes a place where people want to hang out, as well as an entryway to the Water Street Mall from Broadway.
In addition to the work in this contract, the city has a request for queries out for artwork for the north and south walls on either side of the park. Those walls belong to existing buildings, because the skinny park itself was once home for a building that was torn down.
The contract with Semper Fi is for what city officials consider the first phase of the park’s development. The second phase would be done in conjunction with the economic development office at the city, possibly with a restaurant or other business that could occupy one of the buildings next to the park.
City officials have said it could mean the park would be a place for outdoor tables for a restaurant, possibly with a door opening from the business onto the park. That would be similar to what The Venue, a downtown live music facility, does with Mundy Park next door.
The skinny park is just a few doors down from Mundy Park on the same block along Broadway and the Water Street Mall.
When the park is ready for a second phase of development, it could turn out that a developer of the building next to it contributes to the cost of that second phase, officials have said.
slord@tribpub.com
