The Project
The Dirksen Nature Park in Tigard, Oregon has received several widescale improvements since it was established in 2010. The park is the second largest in Tigard and offers 48-acres of green space, educational opportunities, and recreation. The development of the park was delayed for several years while a plan was in place and funding secured. One of the goals of the park is to create a high-quality park for the community while preserving the beautiful landscape of the area. The Dirksen Nature Park Education Center is another feature that was added to the park and provides a large classroom for field-trips, summer camps, and other events. During the winter, one area of the park is a thriving wetlands habitat and can be explored by visitors using a boardwalk. The City of Tigard also needed to install restrooms in the park and provide a suitable area for picnics and hosting events.
The Solution
The City of Tigard contacted Romtec to design, supply, and construct a conventional restroom building with a large extended roof. This is a large building with a footprint of over 1400 square feet. The extended roof covers several picnic tables to provide visitors with a place to relax and sit down while being sheltered from the elements. The other half of the building features three restrooms. Two of these are multiuser restrooms while the third is a family restroom. All three restrooms were designed for ADA accessibility with accessible fixtures, grab bars, and space for wheelchair clearance. The exterior of the building was designed with a fiber cement board & batten siding and a dressed fieldstone wainscot. The fieldstone is also used for the column wraps on the supports for the extended roof. Altogether, the new interpretive shelter and restroom building will help to support visitors enjoy the beautiful Dirksen Nature Park. The City of Tigard has done an excellent job developing this park while preserving around 70% of the natural land.
