Palm Desert To consider Approving $937K Park Upgrade, Re-bids Recommendation To Stall ADA Project

The Palm Desert City Council is set to approve nearly $937,000 in playground improvements Thursday night while rejecting all bids for a separate park accessibility project, potentially saving taxpayers more than $250,000.

The purchase of new playground equipment and shade structures is for Civic Center Park, described in city documents as "the City's largest and most frequented public park."

Major Playground Overhaul

The spending includes $492,158 for seven shade structures and $445,406 for new playground equipment, plus $45,000 in contingencies.

"The new design is based on community input collected through surveys and outreach events and prioritizes inclusive play features and increased shade coverage," according to a city staff report prepared by Community Services Manager Shawn Muir.

ADA Project Gets Fresh Start

In a separate action, the council rejected all nine bids for ADA improvements at Cahuilla Hills Park, with proposals ranging from $1.1 million to $2.6 million.

The problem: The city required bidders to have a General Building Contractor license, but the lowest bidder at $1,120,589 only held a General Engineering Contractor license.

"The apparent low bidder did not possess this license classification and was therefore deemed non-responsive," Project Manager Neal Ennis wrote in his staff report.

The city will re-bid the project, allowing both General Building Contractor license and General Engineering Contractor license classifications. Staff expects the change will "broaden the pool of eligible bidders and potentially reduce construction costs."

City documents estimate the re-bidding will save "more than $250,000" compared to accepting the current lowest qualifying bid.

Timeline and Funding

The Civic Center Park equipment will be pre-purchased to avoid delays, with construction bidding scheduled for July-August and with it being awarded in September 2025.

It is unknown how much time the Cahuilla Hills project restart will add to the timeline for the federally mandated accessibility improvements, which include "an ADA-compliant parking area, sidewalk, and trailhead path."

The Palm Desert City Council meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 4 p.m. at City Hall, 73-510 Fred Waring Drive.