KINGSTON — At a recent meeting of the Kingston Port Commission, Vet Industrial was awarded a contract to construct a new park above the Kingston ferry terminal’s vehicle holding area, along Washington Boulevard NE.

Vet wasn’t the lowest bidder for the project though, Olympic Peninsula Construction bid about $32,000 less with $280,227. The group however failed to disclose the required subcontractor information in their bid packet, and were subsequently disqualified from consideration. The second highest bid was Vet Industrial’s at $312,436.51.

Jim Pivarnik, the Port of Kingston’s executive director, said even with the higher bid, the project still looks like it will stay on budget. In 2016 the port received approval for a $400,000 grant through the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Pivarnik said so far the project has cost about $76,000 in design and engineering costs.

In 2014, a local resident purchased the three-quarters-of-an-acre property in downtown Kingston which had been the former site of the Kingston Inn before the restaurant burned down in 2005. The buyer — who chose to remain anonymous — deeded the property to the port with the understanding that it would be made into a public park.

Construction on Washington Boulevard Park is expected to begin in April and be completed by September 2018.