Eureka officials are planning to remove the gazebo at West Frisco Park to increase parking in the Old Town business area.
City Administrator Craig Sabo said the parking lot has 39 spaces and removing the gazebo at 14 West Frisco Ave. will make room for 17 more, for a total of 56.
“(The gazebo) was not heavily utilized, and was a frequent target for vandalism,” he said.
Sabo said the city will reconfigure the parking lot near the corner of West Frisco Avenue and South Virginia Avenue to make it easier for vehicles to get in and out of it.
“The circulation (will be) enhanced by the elimination of the opposite-facing diagonal parking, as well as closing off the alley ingress/egress to clearly define the traffic flow,” he said.
Sabo said officials have not discussed if the park will be renamed, but the area will most likely not be referred to as a park.
“If it’s named at all, it would seem to make sense to rename it West Frisco Parking Lot,” he said.
Sabo said the gazebo was built in 2011.
Eureka Parks and Recreation coordinator Lizzie Roberds said the gazebo is the least-rented park facility in the city, but it has been used for parties and weddings.
Sabo said a rack that will hold up to nine bikes will be added to the lot.
Sabo said the total cost of the project is approximately $90,000.
“I anticipate that capital improvement program funds will be utilized for the project,” he said.
Sabo said some of the proceeds from Eureka’s sale of its water and sewer system to Missouri American Water can be used to cover capital projects such as the parking lot improvement.
“I anticipate that a proposed ordinance to authorize entering into the contract will be considered at the Dec. 21 Board of Aldermen meeting,” he said.
Sabo said the gazebo should be removed by the end of this year and parking lot improvements will likely start after the start of 2022.
“While the successful bidder will receive a notice to proceed on Jan. 3, the completion date will depend on their workload as well as the weather, since if it’s too cold they can’t get and lay down the asphalt,” he said. “Striping the lot also requires that the air and ground temperature be at a minimum of 40 to 50 degrees.
“Of course, there is also less demand for parking over the winter months, and it will be completed well before spring when demand starts to increase.”