By Mike Greife,
September 30, 2015
WARRENSBURG, MO – Bringing expertise and a desire to serve the community to the table,
a group of University of Central Missouri construction management students joined
the Warrensburg Parks and Recreation Department, the city of Warrensburg and other
partners in the revitalization of Lions Lake, a recreational area and community landmark
at Southwest Drive and South Main Street in Warrensburg.
Four of the dozens of UCM students who have worked on the project during the past
three years were recognized during the recent dedication of the Todd Hamann Trail,
a hiking trail that now surrounds the lake as part of the renovation of the area.
Construction management students, under the supervision of faculty members Aaron Sauer
and Curtis Bradford, completed the design of and participated in the construction
of two footbridges on the 4,900-foot trail. The main bridge on the northeast corner
of the trail measures 143 feet in length, with a smaller bridge on the southwest corner
of the lake measuring 24 feet in length.
UCM students have been involved with the bridge construction project since the first
preconstruction meeting in November 2012. Beginning spring semester 2013, the students
developed a construction budget for the bridges, a work schedule, work packages and
investigated value engineering options. As a result of their work, the trail width
was reduced and the board walks for the bridges were constructed off-site to reduce
the overall cost of the project.
Capstone construction management students also collected estimates for materials,
developed labor estimates and created tool lists for students who would be reporting
to work on the project. They began construction began during fall semester 2013, and
prefabrication of both bridges in the UCM technology labs was completed during fall
semester 2014. The students then worked with crews from Warrensburg Parks and Recreation,
Warrensburg Public Works and volunteers from Whiteman Air Force Base on the final
installation of the bridges on site, with students installing the bridge foundations.
Students also completed the surveys for the trail and structures.
“Throughout the four semesters of work, more than 100 of our students enrolled in
five different construction management courses were able to gain valuable, hands-on
experience an all aspects of the construction trade,” Bradford said. “The chance to
work with the professional staffs from Parks and Recreation and Public Works also
was a valuable opportunity.”
Even though many of the students who worked on the project have completed their college
degrees and gone on to work in the field of construction, Bradford said there is still
an overall sense of pride among the students who participated in the completed project.
“They feel they’ve had an opportunity to give something back to the community,” he
said.
The restoration and improvement of Lions Lake, a Warrensburg landmark, was completed
through a cooperative effort by Warrensburg Parks and Recreation, Warrensburg Public
Works, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Grant Management, UCM Department
of Construction Management and Whiteman Air Force Base.
Funding for the project included a $100,000 Department of Natural Resources Recreational
Trails Grant and $130,000 in private donations.
