In the Pella Kiwanis Park project, Romtec worked with the City of Pella (Iowa), Snyder & Associates, and non-profit organization Wonder Spelen for the design and supply of a restroom building for their accessibility upgrades to Kiwanis Park.
Kiwanis Park is set among the city’s neighborhoods, and has recently undergone significant construction and upgrades to add “interactive playground equipment, accessible bathrooms and sensory play equipment” for guests of varying abilities to enjoy together. The project was spurred by Wonder Spelen (“miracle play” in Dutch), a non-profit organization by the Pella Kiwanis Club and the City of Pella to “develop a truly inclusive play space for [their] youth.” (Hawk, 2020)
For the new inclusive Kiwanis Park, the City of Pella worked with Landscape Architect Snyder & Associates, who Romtec has worked with on numerous projects in the past. The City of Pella wanted a custom and distinct Dutch look for their restroom building to match the theme of the town, and Snyder & Associates knew that we would be able to meet the Park’s needs and the City’s desired aesthetic.
The Romtec supplied restroom building is a unique and attractive structure that is sure to stand out in the park while fitting in with the town aesthetic. The building is composed of hardy CMU block in a split face finish for texture and features two different shades of block, a tan and a grey. The tan block composes most of the wall, with the grey block on the corners. This pattern continues onto the faux chimney stacks on the structure and provides a distinct and uniform appearance to the building. In addition to faux chimney stacks, decorative shutters have also been installed on the face of the building to frame the drinking fountains and continue the Dutch theme.
The restroom structure contains two unisex ADA restrooms, both with high use stainless steel, motion operated fixtures. One of the restrooms features a diaper deck, and the other features an adult changing station. By providing these changing stations in options for both children and adults, the City of Pella has taken inclusivity a step further so that anyone can enjoy the park, regardless of age and ability. The structure also contains a large mechanical room that provides ample space to access plumbing and accommodate plenty of storage.
Romtec’s building package was supplied to Hooyer Construction, Inc. for installation at the park, and will become just one of the accessible facets of the upgraded Kiwanis Park. The City of Pella and the Pella Kiwanis Club worked with “top playground designers” to achieve their goals of an accessible park and will continue to upgrade and enhance the park in Phase 2 and Phase 3 of their project.
The Wonder Spelen Playground and inclusive park at Kiwanis Park held their grand opening and ribbon cutting on October 16th, 2021 in front of a large crowd of excited community members. Photos of the new play structure, and construction photos of the Romtec restroom can be seen on their Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/wonderspelen. (Wonder Spelen, n.d.)
Hawk, E. (2020). Wonder Spelen still on track for all-inclusive playground. The Oskaloosa Herald. Retrieved 26 October 2021, from https://www.oskaloosa.com/community/wonder-spelen-still-on-track-for-all-inclusive-playground/article_dbf96924-a5b5-11ea-9759-a3896a65ed55.html.
Wonder Spelen. (n.d.). Home [Facebook page]. Facebook. Retrieved October 26, 2021, from https://www.facebook.com/wonderspelen