The Town Council has approved a $105,250 agreement with a consultant for the design of additional improvements at Fountain Park.

Members were unenthusiastic, however, about the idea of using an LED information sign in the park.

The proposed improvements include three monument signs to be constructed at key park locations.

Staff had proposed that one of those signs, along Saguaro Boulevard, include an LED board for information and announcing upcoming events and activities.

At a December meeting, council members seemed to embrace the idea of such a LED sign along Shea Boulevard to provide event information to passing motorists.

Support for that idea was also expressed at the Jan. 2 meeting.

Councilman Dennis Brown said he might be able to support a small sign similar in size to what is at the high school at the park but did not endorse the idea.

“I’m not in favor of an LED sign on Saguaro Boulevard considering the limited funds we have to work with,” Councilwoman Ginny Dickey said.

“I like the idea of something on Shea better to attract more outside traffic.”

The council did tell staff to have information on options included in the design work, but there was no particular support for an LED sign in Fountain Park.

Recreation Supervisor Bryan Hughes said he would like to include electrical infrastructure in the design that would support about five floating fountains around the lake.

Council members were not warm to the idea of “floating fountains” without more research.

Brown said they would be nice to look at, but he is not sure how practical such an amenity would be.

The town has been working with the Sanitary District on methods to improve the water quality in Fountain Lake.

While aeration provided by the smaller fountains might help, council was skeptical as to the overall effectiveness.

“We need to discuss this further with an engineer to see what is the best option for the $300,000 we have budgeted for (water quality enhancement),” Brown said.

Vice Mayor Cassie Hansen said she wonders how effectively these fountains would help with the mixing needed to improve the water quality.

Hughes said fountains are not part of the improvement project. He wants to consider the electrical infrastructure as long as electrical installation will be required for pathway lighting in the park.

The council did tell staff to go forward with a plan to use concrete bollards for the pathway lighting around the park.

The pathway lights are a significant part of the improvement project requiring more than 7,000 feet of infrastructure. Staff reported that the designer is recommending the bollard lighting as being less intrusive in the park with the ability to hold up better to irrigation requirements.

The other improvements include the expansion and upgrade of the parking lot on the east side off Panorama Drive, the monument signs to be placed along Saguaro, at the south parking lots off El Lago and at El Lago and Panorama.

There is also a plan for additional signage for interpretive information and park rules.

Additional work will be done to make repairs and electrical upgrades at the amphitheater.

DLR Group will be doing the design work under the direction of landscape architect David Case. Hughes noted that Case has been involved with much of the design work in Fountain Park since the town took over the facility.

The schedule calls for the design work to be completed in June when construction is slated to begin. The $1.5 million project would be completed by late September before the park is overseeded for next winter season.

The design contract with DLR includes design, construction documents, bid/negotiation, construction administration and civil engineering.