HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo Regarding Park Restroom(s) Discussion - PRB April 2014 MeetingFrom:Tim OConnor To:Amanda McGee ; Brittany Bakes ; Burt Ballanfant ; David DeAnda ; David DeAnda ; Donald Armstrong ; Jon Trevelise ; Kevin Boyle ; Melissa Pifko ; Michael Ross ; Moya Varner ; Susan Reeves ; Susan White ; Thelma A.Lenz ; Tim OConnor ; Tracy Larson ; Wayne Franklin ; Trace Worthy ; Brad Warzon Subject:PowerPoint Presentation - Park Restroom(s) Discussion - PRB April 2014 Meeting Date:Thursday, March 27, 2014 1:37:35 PM Attachments:WUP Park Restroom Presentation.ppt image001.png image004.png Good morning. Staff has been consulting with representatives from CorWorth Innovative Buildings specifically in regard to their restroom systems. Carl Hackney, their National Sales Manager, has put together the attached PowerPoint document and the following link will give you more insight on CorWorth and their product line - http://corworth.com/rfl/portfolio/ I would like to have an open discussion on the matter of possibly installing restrooms in some of our neighborhood parks at next Wednesdays Parks Board meeting, so please look this information over ahead of 04/02 and prepare your thoughts. Several points I feel are important note are: In 2006-2007 the citizenry consensus was NOT to place restrooms in the neighborhood parks. Reasons cited:o Sanitation concerns – cleanliness, odor and general health.o Seen as an “attractant” for predatory deviates.o Takes up valuable park space o Unattractive. Since 2010 the city has constructed and maintained two (2) public restroom facilities within the parks system.o 1) Northwest corner of the WUP Recreation Center, serving playground, Tri-Sport and walking/jogging path patrons.o 2) Northeast corner of the Colonial Park Pool, serving tennis, playground, green space and pavilion rental patrons There have been zero incidents involving complaints from our patrons or park neighbors. We now have budgeted for several part-time Parks Maintenance Caretaker positions,which will allow for WUP parks to be serviced on weekends, beginning soon. The CorWorth restroom system we are considering involves less than a 250 sq. ft.“footprint”. If this proposal is well received, staff would suggest that we “pilot” the addition of a restroom at Wier Park and carefully monitor for a minimum of 9 months before proposing installing restrooms in the following WUP parks:o Judson and Huffington. Staff feels that park restrooms, if approved, would be projects that the Friends of West
University Place Parks would favorably consider funding. I spoke briefly with Burt Ballanfant regarding this matter at the WU Rotary meeting this morning and he made an excellent suggestion. Specifically, he suggested that in order to quantify the extent of the issue of park users relieving themselves on the park grounds that staff monitor and record any urination and defecating incidents they observe and/or clean up during the performance of their maintenance duties. He also suggested that Park Board members conduct a “straw poll” of park users while they themselves are enjoying the parks. Thank you for your time and attention to this communication. Please advise should you have any immediate questions or concerns. Tim Tim O'Connor Director of Parks and Recreation 6104 Auden City of West University Place, Texas 77005 713-662-5894 - toconnor@westutx.gov www.westutx.gov Check us out online - Find us, Follow us!