Danville is a step closer to rebuilding the Lexington Avenue park that used to sit in front of the Coldiron-Watkins Memorial Water Treatment Plant.

Danville City Commission has accepted a bid from Jave LLC for $219,900 to complete “hardscape” work such as sidewalks, grading and preparing space for the playground.

City Engineer Earl Coffey said there are two more phases to completing the park: The city will also ask for bids on the actual playground equipment and installation; and then a third bid will seek contractors to install a “rain garden and splash-pad area.”

Michele Gosser, Danville’s chief financial officer, confirmed for Danville City Commissioner J.H. Atkins that the costs for the park are planned for in the current city budget; Danville will be paying for the park work out of its general fund and from a grant it received because of the educational nature of some of the park features.

Coffey said the city plans to have the entire park finished before school is out at the end of May.

The previous park was taken out during Danville’s $23.7 million overhaul of the water plant, which was dedicated at the end of August. In addition to regular playground equipment, the new park design calls for educational spaces that will teach visitors about the water cycle and how their actions can impact water quality.

The park could also host school field trips. And it could serve as an anchor point for a larger water education effort using signage throughout Danville and Boyle County’s growing trail system.

“We hope to add — in future — signage and education components so that when a student goes to the water plant and sees the education there … then as they get out and they’re accessing the community with their parents, they can identify where they’re at and they understand the local water cycle,” Coffey said last March.

City Commissioner Rick Serres made the motion to accept Jade’s bid; Commissioner Denise Terry seconded. The motion passed without opposition.

This story originally misidentified the contractor chosen for the project. The contractor is Jave LLC.