Splash Pad and future Social Justice Wall {courtesy of the city of Tamarac}
By Agrippina Fadel
The new splash pad in Tamarac Village has serious safety and maintenance issues and would have to be demolished and reconstructed.
That’s according to Maxine Calloway, Tamarac’s director of community development, who gave the commission an update on October 12, explaining that after a recent inspection, the city discovered significant construction defects.
Construction has begun on Tamarac’s Social Justice Wall.
According to Calloway, the sharp edges of the mosaic tiles and inconsistencies in the spray nozzle elevations are considered safety hazards and can become a long-term maintenance issue for the city.
The contractor hired by the developer also applied a leveling/float material on the concrete slab before the mosaic tiles were installed, creating an uneven surface, which the city also considered unacceptable.
“We asked the developer to immediately rip it up and replace the mosaic with a material that the city is more familiar with,” Calloway said, adding that the Aqua Flex Non-Porous surface material the city wants to use is slip-resistant, durable, safe, and would require less maintenance.
JKM Developers, who were in charge of the project, would cover the costs.
It will take 11 weeks to install, so the overall timeline for the area completion is not disrupted.
“What will be going in will be consistent with the other art pieces in Tamarac Village, including the amphitheater, which is, for the most part, complete, and the Social Justice Wall,” said Calloway.
Commissioner Debra Placko called the news “very disappointing,” saying that while she understands the safety issues, the mosaic would be unique for the city.
“I know that the developer will incur the cost of replacing the splash pad, but what about the cost that the city initially had for the artist and materials?” she asked.
Calloway explained that the staff intends to recoup any costs and is currently discussing with the developer to replace the cost the city bore for the artist’s work. She added that the price of the material for the splash pad is $33K, and the city paid the artist for the mosaic about $75K.
“It is unfortunate that it happened, but it was not through our fault, and we acted in good faith with all of this,” said Placko. Commissioners voted unanimously to support the demolition and reconstruction of the splash pad.
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