Skating rink to slip into park soon

Construction that finishes the renovation of Lea McKeighan Park begins this summer, and projects include Lee’s Summit’s first ice-skating rink.

The Lee’s Summit Parks Department has hopes of opening the rink this winter, if the construction schedule and weather cooperate.

The south side of the park has been open for a while and the Parks and Recreation Department has turned to a $5 million reconstruction for the north side of the park. The park is located at Douglas Street and Chipman Road, with Chipman splitting the park.

Some demolition and grading had already been completed for North Lea McKeighan Park, and on June 26, the Parks and Recreation Board approved contracts for the general construction of a parking lot and utilities for the ice rink, .

There also will be a splash pad, similar to one installed at Miller J. Fields Park, with a few different features. A brushed concrete surface will ensure the pad is not slippery.

The playground equipment will include rope climbing structures like those on the south, but lower, for younger children ages 5 to 12, said Steve Casey, superintendent of park planning and construction.

Casey said the department went through an extensive process for getting proposals from vendors and reviewing their suggestions to be certain it was making the right selection.

“We obviously don’t have a lot of experience building outdoor ice rinks,” he said.

The staff recommended KC Ice, a local firm that has built rinks in the area, Casey said.

The company also provides the skates for rental and other concessions.

KC Ice will run the rink the first year. In subsequent years, the park board will decide whether to contract for that service or whether the department will take over operations.

That’s the strategy the department used when opening Summit Waves, the city water park.

“We’ll be able to observe, learn, copy everything we need to know,” said Joe Snook, interim parks administrator.

Contracts awarded for the project are:

▪ $790,392 to KC Ice for construction and operation of the ice rink.

▪ Nearly $2.7 million to Park-Gunter Construction of Kansas City, Kan., for general construction of parking, roads, utilities.

▪ $260,394 to Vortex for installation of a splash pad.

▪ $195,594 to AB Creative and $29,973 to Athco for playground equipment.

This story was originally published August 1, 2017 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Skating rink to slip into park soon."