CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Work to reconfigure Dunbar’s Shawnee Park into a multi-sport complex will begin later this year.
Members of the Kanawha County Commission have approved a $10 million loan with Huntington Bank to cover the cost of most of the construction.
“Once the (WV) Building Authority approves the bond, we will bid out the contract and we will start construction in November,” said Commissioner Ben Salango.
The bank made the offer of the lowest interest rate in their bid, according to the commission.
“It was a very low interest rate and they permitted us just to pay interest in the beginning, so it doesn’t increase our debt service very much at all,” Salango said.
The project is expected to cost about $15 million, including $5 million in grants.
Environmental studies are being conducted at underground at Shawnee Park. This comes after West Virginia State University sued Dow Chemical for allegedly contaminating the water under part of the WVSU campus, located near the park. Dow is paying for the groundwater testing.
Salango ensured residents the chemicals detected pose no health risk.
He said the new facility will benefit the community by drawing in athletes from outside the region.
“The new sports complex is going to be a tremendous economic impact and boost for the community, not just Institute and Dunbar, but throughout the Kanawha Valley,” Salango said.
The project is scheduled to be complete by July 2018.