Columbia Borough awards contract for Makle Park improvements

Makle Park

Columbia Borough has awarded a construction contract for Phase 1 improvements at Makle Park, marking a major step forward for the project. 

Yost, Strodoski, and Mears (YSM) Landscape Architects, the contractor overseeing the project, conducted a public bidding process in May 2025. The borough received competitive bids for two separate contracts, but only one - for site improvements - was awarded:

Contract 1: Site Improvement Contract 

At the June 10 borough council meeting, council voted to award the contract for site improvements to H&P Construction. H&P had submitted a base bid of $272,224.13, emerging as the lowest bidder among five companies.

Contract 2: Electric Contract 

Council voted to table the electric contract decision, despite Delaware Environmental Construction submitting the lowest bid of three at $116,000. YSM requested additional time to conduct research on the company's experience before moving forward. Engineer Derek Rinaldo said, "There were some mixed reviews and some concern over experience."

Makle Park Phase 1 Improvements Bid Tabulation 

Planned enhancements include resurfacing the existing basketball courts, renovating and restriping the 19-space parking lot, and constructing new restrooms and a picnic pavilion. Additional improvements will feature the installation of various amenities such as benches, trash receptacles, picnic tables, and bike racks, along with associated landscaping and stormwater management systems.

Financial Impact

The project is being funded through a $478,300 Recreation Development grant awarded to the borough in 2022 under the C2P2 program, with Columbia Borough providing a required match of $119,575.

According to a Columbia Borough "Executive Brief," the total project cost of $538,224.13 includes funds for the precast bathroom that was previously approved. The borough has allocated $597,875 for the Makle Park improvements, leaving a remaining balance of approximately $59,651 after the contract awards.

The project is expected to be completed in fiscal year 2025, with no ongoing operational expenses listed for subsequent years.

The project is an outgrowth of an initial $67,000 study conducted by YSM in 2018, which looked at Makle Park, Rotary Park, and Janson Park. Columbia Spy reported on the study HERE.