Crews have been doing the groundwork at the future site of the Washington Wellness Park and a change order of more than $20,000 was recently added.

The first change order of the project is for $24,819.90. Washington City Administrator Brent Hinson explained what was found, “There’s heavily tiled fields to the north and they’re emptying into a six-inch clay tile that isn’t sufficient at all for the needs of that upstream water. We’re afraid that that’s going to cause further problems as this development occurs. And we think that, as the mayor said, that it’s most cost effectively addressed at this time even though it is an expense, it’s a $20,000-plus expense.” The Washington City Council approved the change order for the work to be done at this time.

In April, the council approved a contract with DeLong Construction to lay stone base for parking lots and road extensions, develop a dry detention basin, grading land for baseball, soccer, and softball fields, as well as installing sanitary and storm sewers for approximately $850,000. This work will prep the site for phase one of the park, which is projected to be done in the spring of 2019.