The East Ridge City Council has approved plans for the city’s new multi-purpose pavilion. Hefferlin + Kronenberg Architects was chosen to design the facility last November and the site plan, floor plan, and elevations were presented to the council Thursday night.
The location will be behind city hall and next to the East Ridge community center. Heidi Hefferlin said it has good access for all the uses planned for it. The site collects water during periods of heavy rain, so two retention ponds are needed, but the location for the ponds is still to be determined.
The main feature of the building, she said, is a 7,072-square-foot Event Hall that will be accessed through a lobby. The space will have 20-foot ceilings and will have glass doors that can open up so it will be usable in different weather conditions and temperatures. There also will be two suites intended to use for weddings, events or meetings. And there will be a catering prep area.
An outdoor patio has been designed but she said, because of the volatile pricing situation, this is considered to be an alternative space that will not be built if the total cost exceeds $6 million, which is the amount budgeted for the pavilion.
The project is right on schedule, having begun in November and, with the approval to move forward by the council, the architects will now proceed with construction drawings and bid documents. Bidding should start in June.
Another large project that is about to begin is the widening and improvement of North Mack Smith Road from Ringgold Road leading into the Red Wolves stadium. Two lanes will become four with a median. That work is expected to begin the first or second week in April. The contractors have been given 270 days to complete the road.
As that road work begins, the multi-modal project along Ringgold Road is winding down, said City Manager Scott Miller, adding, “It’s about time.” By around the second week in April grass will be planted along the road.
A bid for shoreline restoration was approved for Jack Dickert Memorial Pond in Camp Jordan Park. The job was awarded to the low bidder at $40,000 and an additional $60,000 for rip-rap. The work will be partially funded with a grant from Tennessee American Water. The pond will be ready before the annual fishing rodeo takes place.
The council authorized making improvements at City Hall to correct hot and cold areas in the building. An updated HVAC system will replace the one that is original to the building from 1994. The cost will be in the neighborhood of $15,000-$20,000, said the city manager. And the city’s sanitation and streets building will get a facelift with new vinyl siding, which is expected to cost $15,000-$20,000. Mr. Miller was authorized to proceed to bidding.
Police Chief Clint Uselton also received approval for a bid to install electrical service to 15 automated license plate readers that will be placed on Ringgold Road. The low bid that was accepted is $18,550 and will be paid out of the East Ridge Police Department Drug Fund.
An ordinance was passed that establishes conditions for the retail sales of fireworks, such as distances from the right-of-way, and nearby buildings. The intent is to add safety regulations and protections for the community.
Mayor Brian Williams announced that on a quarterly basis, he will be giving an award to one of the outstanding organizations in East Ridge that work in the city for the community’s benefit. The first of these Community Spotlight Awards was given to the East Ridge Needy Child Fund. In turn, they honored Herman Schrader for his contributions of time and money to the fund and presented him with the Champion of Children Award.