Riverside Park pool, community center repairs coming soon

The City of Oviedo is about to get to work on repairs to Riverside Park. 

More than a year ago, Hurricane Ian dumped 15 inches of rain on Seminole County in 24 hours. It caused severe damage to Riverside Park’s pool and caused flooding at the Riverside Park Community Center, delaying its opening. 

At the Oct. 2 Oviedo City Council meeting, Recreation and Parks Director Paul Belden said the city has put out a bid to get the pool resurfaced. He hopes to be able to bring that to the Council in November for approval. 

In addition to the pool repairs, the city is in the process of repairing the Riverside Park Community Center, which was planned to house the city’s new senior center. 

“We’re currently working on the bid specs to go out to bid on the renovation of the (senior center) building as we speak,” Belden said. “I’m hoping for November as well for that bid to go out.”

Once the City Council approves the vendor, it would take four to six weeks to repair the Riverside Park pool, once the vendor is able to start. Ballpark, he added, the total cost of repairs would be “about $100,000.”  

The timeline for repairs to the senior center isn’t as clear. The senior center’s opening was delayed by flooding from Hurricane Ian. Speaking with Oviedo Community News, Belden said the city has already done the interior work to dry out the building and gut it. Now, the interior of the building is ready to be rebuilt. 

“We’re aiming to go to bid by the end of this month,” he said. “That may be pushed back slightly.”

Councilmember Bob Pollack wanted to know if Riverside Park repairs included any improvements. 

“Is there gonna be any kind of a shade structure for the skate park?” Pollack asked. 

“This is all insurance proceeds from FEMA from the flood,” Belden said at the meeting. “We have to work with apples to apples. We are looking at possibly using (other) funds to add a small shade (structure) in the southwest corner of the skate park where citizens hang out on skateboards and bikes.”

One repair from Hurricane Ian that’s complete: Riverside Park’s tennis courts.  

“We converted court number four,” Belden said. “That’s been converted to three permanent pickleball courts. That’s open to the public as we speak.”

In addition to discussing Riverside Park repairs, the Oviedo City Council:

• Approved a controversial McDonald’s at the corner of East Chapman Road and State Road 434 near Evans Elementary School. The developer agreed to minor changes to alleviate traffic during morning dropoff times for the elementary school. Residents raised concerns in March about the traffic, and the council delayed the approval in July. 
• The Oviedo Woman’s Club again asked the city to increase the fee waiver for its Great Day in the Country event to $10,000. Staff is expected to bring an ordinance back at the next meeting to increase the possible waiver for what are called “signature events” to $10,000. It’s expected that Great Day in the Country and the Taste of Oviedo events are the only two that would qualify for the larger fee waiver. 
• Decided to reject a bid to buy surplus city land for $35,000. The nearly 10 acres of land in Black Hammock was appraised at $175,000.