Wildwood will delay major Millennium Park improvements after the contractor failed to post a performance bond.
Instead of awarding the contract to another bidder, commissioners voted Monday to wait until after an April mid-year budget analysis before rebidding the project.
Blackwater Construction Services of Gainesville was awarded the contract in October with a bid of $8.8 million. The other bid was $12.5 million from Carr & Collier of Leesburg.
A Feb. 2 letter from Derek Dykes, Blackwater president, stated that “due to unforeseen circumstances” the company would not be able to post the performance bond.
“We need a little bit of time for the dust to settle on this project,” said City Manager Jason McHugh, suggesting a delay.
Millennium Park along Powell Road is the city’s largest park. It is also home to the Wildwood Community Center.
The project includes demotion and replacement of paved surfaces, including parking areas, roads, cart paths and concrete sports pads.
It also calls for construction of tennis courts, a racquetball court and a covered basketball court. Sports fields would be upgraded with replacement of goal posts, pickleball net posts and baseball bases.
Lighting and electrical equipment would be installed and sewer and water lines replaced.
Commissioners rejected alternative options of rebidding the project immediately or awarding the contract to Carr & Collier.
The Blackwater contract was approved four months ago on a 3-2 vote with Mayor Ed Wolf then suggesting a delay because the city faces up to a $150 million cost to enlarge its wastewater treatment plant capacity.
