Coming Up: Preliminary work starts on downtown pavilion

Jan. 31—Preliminary work started Tuesday to prepare a base for the planned new downtown pavilion.

Workers with Cuños Concrete took measurements, conducted core drilling and removed some existing concrete slabs Tuesday as work on the pavilion project continued.

Project Manager Mike Pruitt said plans were to dig holes for some concrete pylons and set forms, with hopes to pour a concrete slab for the pavilion's base by Friday.

Nicola Ballesteros, of Cuños Concrete, used heavy equipment to lift sections of a concrete slab from First Street, near the intersection with Choctaw Avenue, where the pavilion will be located.

Meanwhile, Jayme Fernandes drilled into a section of the street, while Eliazar Guerrero and J. Guadelupe Gomez conducted measurements to make sure the new concrete base will be squared when completed

Pruitt, who said he's a local solutions provider working under a contract agreement with the city, said he devised a way to bring a pavilion to the site at a much lower cost than some previous bids. City Manager David Andren said the total cost is now expected to be in the $100,000 range.

Pruitt cut costs for the project by ordering a custom-built, pre-manufactured wooden, covered pavilion, expected to arrive in McAlester on March 14.

He said it should take about three days to put the structure together.

"Everything's pre-engineered and pre-certified by an architect," Pruitt said Tuesday.

When installed, the pavilion will be 23 feet wide and 25 feet long, with three steps in the front, a metal roof and LED lighting, he said.

Pruitt said the downtown pavilion will not block access to First Street from Choctaw Avenue when completed, although the southern half of First Street in the downtown area will have to be temporarily blocked at times while construction is under way.

He said Tuesday only three parking spaces will be lost on First Street when the pavilion is installed. A handicapped parking space will be moved about two parking spaces farther north on First Street, to maintain handicapped access to the site, he said.

Plans are to use the covered pavilion for a number of downtown events, including use as a bandstand and a review stand during parades and other activities.

If everything goes as planned, Pruitt thinks the pavilion can be in place and ready to go by April 1.

City of McAlester Tourism Director Billy Sumner stopped by the site early Tuesday as the project continued to progress.

"I will be happy to see it when it's completed," he said.