Geoff Helisma Clarence Valley Council has awarded contracts to redevelop Wherrett Park in Maclean. The upgrade is being funded by a $950,000 federal government Capability Development Grant (CDG), which was announced by Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker during the 2013 federal election campaign. Mr Hartsuyker announced at the time that the project was a result of “ongoing consultation with the Wherrett Park Users Group”. Townsend-based company, Corbett Earthmoving, was awarded a $308,005 contract to design and construct car parking and related drainage. Arrawarra-based company, Alan Kneale Electrical, will design and construct new sports field floodlighting at a cost of $166,400. Corbett Earthmoving’s ‘alternate’ tender was accepted as the best option, because it “reduced risk, improved design performance and [provided] greater efficiency”. The report to council stated that this tender “included increased sub base design, which improved design performance and reduced [the] risk of variation due to unknown site conditions”. The council had budgeted $400,000 for the car park and drainage works. The council’s works and civil director, Troy Anderson, said an inception meeting was held with Corbett Earthmoving last Thursday October 29. “Works are expected to start in three to four weeks and be completed by February,” he said. The awarded lighting contract includes the erection of four poles, fitted with 100lux lighting, which will light the No.1 field and provide the “maximum possible lighting to the training field”. The tender called for the pricing of three options, varying from just lighting the No.1 field to fully lighting both fields with six poles. The report to council states: “Considering the tender submission made, the improved design performance and greater efficiency [it was] determined that option 2 offered the best value”. The lighting tender, including an additional $9,425 for demolition, was $25,825 above the CDG-approved budget allocation. “Savings realised from the car park and project management components of the project can be utilised to offset the budget variance,” the report to council states. Mr Anderson said materials for the lighting upgrade have been ordered. “It’s expected to be a 10-12 week program,” he said. “[Lighting upgrade] works at the site are scheduled to start in January.” Meanwhile, a contract to complete drainage for Barry Watts Oval has not yet been awarded. In December 2014, councillors authorised the general manager to negotiate with three firms that tendered for the project. Staff recommended that none of the received tenders should be accepted and that negotiations take place “on scope and price to achieve [the] best value for money for Council and the community”. These negotiations could not take place until the funding agreement with the federal government was completed, as reported to the May council meeting. Mr Anderson said quotations are now being sought for construction of the grandstands. The general manager was authorised to “approve any contract variations up to 10 per cent” for the lighting and car park constructions. Councillor Andrew Baker, who works at Corbett Earthmoving, declared an interest and left the October council meeting when the item was tabled.