From the Sterling City Council to the Riverfront Commission, people are looking for answers about the Northwestern Steel and Wire Park and when it will be open to the public.

“Is it common for projects like this to have this many flaws this late in construction?” Terry McGuire, co-chair of the Riverfront Commission, asked at the commission’s most recent meeting.

McGuire’s question came after exchanges with Grant and Ryan Sjostrom of Sjostrom and Sons, the developers of the $4.74 million park, and Zach Simpson of Strand Associates, about ongoing issues with finishing the park project.

“I’m not going to say it’s common, but it’s not uncommon. There are always things that need to be addressed,” Simpson said.

McGuire’s concerns echoed those voiced by Retha Elston, Sterling 1st Ward alderwoman, just two days earlier at the April 20 Sterling City Council meeting.

“It just seems like things keep getting pushed back, especially for opening day. Who is managing this being done? Who is the engineer down there making sure stuff is being done,” Elston asked City Manager Scott Shumard after the council voted to approve a payment of $60,077.47 to Sjostrom and Sons.

“Are we having issues with Sjostrom? Is this the problem?” Joe Strabala-Bright, Ward 2 alderman, asked Shumard.

“This is probably not the best forum to answer that question. It will probably require more in-depth, and you can reach out to Scott to have that conversation,” Timothy Zollinger, Sterling city attorney, told Strabala-Bright.

Alderman at Large Jim Wise acknowledged the frustration with the delays but said the project would be worth the wait.

“It’s kind of frustrating, that’s understandable. This is a one-time multimillion-dollar riverfront park project that’s a lot harder to put together than is a Lego set, without trying to minimize the issue. It’s unfortunate, but I wouldn’t want to take any regard away from Sjostrom themselves. There are a lot of factors that are way beyond anyone’s control,” Wise said at the council meeting.

One of the biggest concerns is the surface of the ice ribbon.

The concrete surface has developed waves and ripples. Previously, Sjostrom said the surface could either be treated with a coating or could undergo a brick-rubbing process to even it.

At the April 22 commission meeting, Simpson said repair work on the ribbon ideally would be done before the park is opened to the public. Simpson also mentioned the option of tearing out the concrete in the ribbon and repouring it, an option that Grant Sjostrom did not appear to favor.

“As far as removing and replacing, that is not something we want to do. Without looking at it right now, we think there are definitely ways to resolve the surface, just as a surface issue,” Sjostrom said.

The ice ribbon isn’t the only issue holding up the park.

Shumard showed the commission a slideshow of photos taken at the park the morning of April 22. Those photos showed peeling paint on the pavilion, landscaped sapling trees coming out of the ground and metal trash receptacles, embedded in concrete that are leaning.

After Simpson said that painters had blasted and repainted the peeling areas, Brad Schrader, Sterling public works superintendent, said the peeling paint still was a concern.

“An attempt was made. There’s peeling again, and the spots that were touched up do not look like there was a big effort put into it,” Schrader said.

Other concrete issues include pitting concrete from leaking gutters around the pavilion that will need to be addressed.

“We were there during a rain, and the gutters were leaking through the seams and it was divoting the concrete below it already. Did they fix that? If it’s brand-new and the concrete is already divoting under all of the seams of the gutters?” Heather Sotelo, member of the Sterling Riverfront Foundation, said. Sotelo said she has had inquiries from donors asking when the park will be open to the public.

Simpson said city officials would meet with the contractors to do a walk-through of the park to create a punch list of issues that need to be resolved in order for the park to open.

When that day will be was another conversation, but Mayor Diana Merdian assured commission members that it will be this year.

“We can’t push it back another summer,” Merdian said.