Romtec is a leading supplier of park restroom structures nationwide and supplied a new multi-user restroom for the Oswegoland Park District at Prairie Point Community Park in Oswego, Illinois.
Bordered by residential neighborhoods and an elementary school, Prairie Point Park serves a wide variety of guests every day. The Park features numerous sports areas including 18 acres of sports fields for soccer and football, 2 full basketball courts, 4 lighted baseball diamonds, a skatepark, and sand volleyball courts. For guests with other interests, a walking path leads along the shore of a natural wetland area, picnic areas are available, and a volunteer pantry garden helps to produce food for needy families. (“Prairie Point Community Park”, 2021)
While the park has features for a variety of guests to enjoy, it desperately needed an additional restroom facility. Portable toilets had been placed at the park seasonally to supplement the old existing restroom, but a more permanent solution was needed, and Romtec was able to supply a structure that fits the needs of both the park guests and the district.
The Romtec restroom has Men’s and Women’s multi-user facilities, a mechanical room, and a large storage room. Two doors on the face of the building lead into the restrooms, and a double door on the side gives access to the storage room. Inside the storage room, staff can access the entrance to the mechanical room, which runs between the restrooms.
The structure is composed of split-face block in a Cedar color with “Harbor Blue” shingle roofing. On the exterior of the structure, between the restroom entrances, guests can utilize a dual water fountain with a bottle filler for safe drinking water on the go. Gable vents on the front and rear of the structure provide ventilation in the restrooms, with a fine wire mesh that keeps large pests out. In addition to natural ventilation, the restrooms also receive natural lighting through skylights in the roof.
Inside the structure, the walls are finished with white semi-gloss tile, and deep blue bathroom partitions continue the blue theme while providing privacy when using the restroom. The fixtures (toilets, urinals, and sinks) are wall mounted, and the sinks feature motion activated faucets for easy hand washing.
For security and peace of mind, the Oswegoland Parks District elected to install magnetic locks and an in-wall timer to control the hours that the restroom can be accessed by the public. For urban areas, securing a restroom building at night can prevent vandalism, crime, and drug abuse in the restrooms.
Romtec worked with the Oswegoland Parks District, as well as Engineering Enterprises Inc. (Engineer), and Wilkinson Excavating (Contractor) for the supply of this building package. Wilkinson Excavating is local to North Central Illinois, and is a family owned and operated company who specializes in excavation and installing site utilities.
Prairie Point Community Park. Oswegoland Park District. (2021). Retrieved 21 June 2021, from https://www.oswegolandparkdistrict.org/parks/prairie-point-community-park/.