By TAYLOR BECK The Reporter Aug 14, 2019

As the final strip of sod was set into place last week, the City of Boaz saw Old Mill Park come to life, but the final cost was a little more than anticipated.

In May of 2018, the Boaz City Council approved a bond issue worth more than $12 million to fund the new park and recreation center.

Original plans for the park were expected to cost a little more than $2.5 million. According to the city’s account analysis, as of Monday, Aug. 12, the park cost the city $3,269,857.13. Close to $20,000 worth of construction was not part of the original bid, but Dyar said remaining cost overages were considered typical.

“We learned from this process,” Boaz Mayor David Dyar said. “It pays to have a construction manager. Going forward, we will have a construction manager for the city’s projects.

“With the project size, we knew there would probably be some cost overruns,” Dyar said. “That’s just part of building … But, we’re happy with the end result.”

The council recently elected to employ Forsyth Building Company, the same company that built the park, as construction manager for the city’s potential $16 million recreation center project.

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