Grand Forks City Council moves forward with phase one of Greenway updates
Jan. 13—GRAND FORKS — The Grand Forks City Council recommended moving forward with Houston Engineering as the city looks to update parts of the Greenway during its Committee of the Whole meeting Monday night.
In September, the city was awarded a $3.49 million grant
through the National Park System's Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program.
The council recommended approving the $590,684 contract with Houston Engineering. The firm and the city will work on a preliminary design for the first phase of updates to the area of the Greenway roughly between DeMers Avenue and Minnesota Avenue. Houston Engineering also worked on the Greenway master plan.
"This area was of particular interest because it met the interest of the community and the Justice40 (district), which was providing space in the natural area for the underserved (communities)," said Water Works Director Melanie Parvey.
The Justice40 district, encompassing parts of downtown and the near south side, is part of a federal initiative to have 40% of the benefits of federal funding flow to disadvantaged communities.
Phase one will look to make Americans with Disabilities Act updates to the Greenway and develop outdoor spaces. Since it was originally built over 20 years ago, the area has not seen significant updates and is beginning to show signs of wear and tear. This phase will also look at the hydrology and hydraulics of how the city could change aspects of the area.
"I'm really excited that we got this grant and my biggest concern is putting too much infrastructure on that side of our flood wall," council member Rebecca Osowski said. "I just want to be very cautious about what we put on that side of the flood wall to make sure that then we don't get in over our head with maintenance costs."
This phase won't change the aspects of the levees themselves, as has been proposed in the master plan.
Construction on the first phase will likely begin sometime in 2027.
The funds will come out of the city's flood protection fund — all Greenway improvements come from this fund — but the city will transfer economic development funds to cover the expenditure of those flood protection funds.
In other news Monday, the council:
* Gave preliminary approval to a memorandum of understanding with Agristo for a potato processing plant in Grand Forks.
An announcement was made last week about the plans for the Belgian company's
first American processing plant. Northland Potato Growers estimates that the project will create $1 billion in economic activity from construction alone.
* Gave preliminary approval to a memorandum of understanding with Cirrus Aircraft for the expansion of its Grand Forks facility. Cirrus is planning a $10.5 million, 30,000-square-foot addition to its facility, which is estimated to create an additional 30 to 45 jobs in the city.
* Gave preliminary approval to liquor licenses to Barney Stone and Bonzer's for locations on the city's south end. Bonzer's and Blarney Stone, a chain of Irish pubs
across the state, are partnering for a venture near Icon Sports Center.
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