Roeland Park city officials say they now anticipate a 12-foot-tall bike-shaped sculpture planned for installation at the city’s R Park will finally be ready for children to climb on this summer.
That comes two years after officials originally hoped the project, dubbed “The Mighty Bike,” would be ready on a remade corner of one of the city’s largest parks.
After a longer-than-anticipated search for partners to build the unique sculpture and an increase in the overall cost of the project, the bike is now on track to be installed, city officials say.
Cost of “The Mighty Bike” split between city and donations
The total cost of “The Mighty Bike” is now roughly $312,000, after the Roeland Park City Council on Monday approved roughly $22,000 in additional funds to finalize preparation of the sculpture’s site at R Park.
The cost is split roughly evenly between private donations and city funds with $170,000 in donations.
City Administrator Keith Moody told the Post via email on Tuesday that the initial cost estimates for the sculpture — which is meant to resemble a 1960s-era kid’s bicycle with saddle seat and long handlebars — were much lower than what became the final budget.
Prior to a council-approved increase in the budget this past Monday, the budget for the project was $290,000.
Moody said the custom-built features of the bike sculpture made it difficult for the city to find a contractor to work on it.
“This … required a great deal of mining to find qualified and willing construction partners,” Moody said. “It took significant time and effort to find the right partners.”
Ultimately, the city partnered with Lenexa-based design firm DI Build to build the sculpture, based on a design by artist Matt Kirby.
Added funds to help prepare R Park site
On Monday, the Roeland Park City Council voted 7-0 to approve an additional $22,500 to go toward the overall project.
Of those dollars, $5,500 is going to cover the remaining portion of a nearly $24,000 expenditure to install squishy “poured-in place” playground surfacing beneath the bike, meant to protect children if they fall.
The remaining $17,000 of the added funds is going toward retrofitting the existing oval pad in the southeast corner of R Park where the sculpture will be installed.
Moody said the sculpture’s projected size has grown in width and length as DI Build has constructed it. The existing oval pad at R Park is now too small to allow for a six-foot fall zone the city wants for the safety of children climbing the structure.
That $17,000 will go towards expanding the oval as well as the removal and replacement of three-quarters of the existing paved walkway that surrounds the oval pad.
“Something that’s going to stand out”
Councilmember Tom Madigan said he was bit disappointed that local donations are not covering the originally anticipated two-thirds of project costs included in the oriinal budget estimates.
Still, he supported the motion to increase the project’s budget for the safety of children who will eventually climb on the sculpture.
Councilmember Matthew Lero said while he understands Madigan’s points and recognized the rising cost of the project, he believes a made-from-scratch piece of play equipment such as this is “worth the effort.”
“It’s going to be something that is going to stand out and be unique, certainly in the city, but I think there’s never been anything quite like this,” Lero said.
Next steps:
- The concrete trail surrounding the oval where “The Mighty Bike” will be installed at R Park is going to be removed and replaced starting Wednesday.
- The city’s contractor says all work on the concrete trail should be completed by Friday.
- Additionally, the impacted portion of the trail should be reopened for pedestrians by Saturday.
- Moody told the Post that, while there are a number of steps that impact a completion date for the sculpture, the city expects “The Mighty Bike” to be installed this summer.
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