Wood River Accepts $1.1 Million Bid To Build City Center Park

Wood River City Council Meeting

WOOD RIVER – The construction of a new park in downtown Wood River is moving forward at a lower cost than previously estimated.

Wood River City Council members voted unanimously on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 to approve a $1,189,990 bid from Pfund Construction to construct City Center Park.

City Manager Steve Palen said this marks the result of a rebidding process prompted by the previous constructions bids being rejected after coming in significantly higher than estimated. Previously rejected bids ranged from $1.3 million to $1.6 million.

Palen first announced plans for City Center Park in March, which he said could feature several amenities, including a stage, pavilion, an open greenspace area, outdoor seating, and more. The park is set to be built on the former Brown Tire & Automotive Center site at the intersection of Ferguson Avenue and 1st Street.

This comes just over two months after the City Council first sought construction bids for the park and voted to purchase materials for an outdoor stage and pavilion, with more details available in this story on Riverbender.com.

Also at Monday’s meeting, City Council members approved a resolution allowing the city to apply for a $300,000 grant to build a splash pad at Central Park.

The resolution states that if approved, the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant would cover 50% of the splash pad’s total construction cost, estimated at $600,000.

A full recording of the Aug. 17, 2026 Wood River City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.