Work is underway to repair a slide area and the play areas at Riverfront Park, after heavy equipment from Central Asphalt was moved into place in the park located off Washington Street south of the WaterView Casino and Hotel.

City officials closed the park for 90 days starting Dec. 3 to allow time for the contractor to make the repairs.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Nov. 19 awarded a $324,347.70 contract to Central Asphalt of Vicksburg to repair the slide area on the south end of the park and resurface the play areas.

Central Asphalt’s bid was the lowest of five companies bidding on the project.

A section of the bluff on the south end of the park began slowly sliding off the bank in April 2015, taking part of the park’s perimeter fence and walking trail, and threatening one play area, part of which sits on the slide.

The city and county boards have each contributed $150,000 to the project, which was delayed while the Mississippi River level fell so the repairs could be made.

The city and county will contribute the extra money to make up the $24,374 difference between the bid and the original amount set aside for the project.

To fix the slide, a contractor will have to excavate topsoil along the top bank of the river — a project that will require removing some playground equipment to provide enough room to make the repairs, which involves dirt work and rehabilitating underground drain pipes that were part of the cause of the slide.