By: Sophia McDonald Bennett
Romtec specializes in designing restrooms to fit with any theme. That’s a big advantage for theme parks or amusements parks, which often have very strict “looks” they must adhere to. Over our 37-year history we have developed over one-hundred standard designs for restrooms, but each can be customized with different finishes, paint colors, even artwork. Our team of experts does all the engineering and installation, saving you time and money while still giving your building the appearance you want.
The Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey showcases how Romtec can help amusement and theme parks. The zoo, which is owned by Essex County, features much more than the typical animal exhibits. With an aquarium, miniature golf course, picnic and play areas, zip lines, and much more, it really is a multi-purpose family entertainment center.
In 2007 the zoo commissioned French and Parrello, a veteran-owned engineering firm in New Jersey, to design several new features in the park. In order to concentrate on the bigger aspects of the project, French and Parrello decided to outsource the design and construction of a small restroom and concession stand in the park’s carousel area.
They chose Romtec for a couple reasons. The carousel is housed in a distinctive octagonal building, and the zoo wanted the restroom to match. For some firms that would be a real challenge, but Romtec excels at creating public restrooms and other public use buildings that complement existing structures. Romtec also believes that restrooms can be multi-purpose buildings that help clients meet several needs, so it was no problem to include a state-of-the-art concession stand in the design.
Since Romtec is certified to provide engineering services in all 50 states and works with suppliers all over the country, we were able to quickly step in and deliver the carousel area’s restroom building on time and within budget. The resulting building is the same shape as the carousel and has the same finishes, including sand-colored walls and a bright blue metal roof topped with a small cupola.
French and Parrello was so pleased with how easy and affordable it was to work with Romtec that they asked the company to build two additional restrooms in different parts of the zoo in 2010. Essex County needed a restroom for the award-winning miniGolf Safari, which has an African theme. Romtec designed a building that resembles a thatched hut. The whimsical building also houses a ticket counter/concession stand and an equipment storage room. Romtec had never done anything quite like it, but that’s the beauty of working with us: our standard restroom designs can be adapted any way imaginable, which allows customers to get unique buildings within their budget.
The zoo also had some very specific requests for a restroom in the Big Cat area of the park. In addition to ADA-compliant bathrooms, they needed storage space for equipment, drinking fountains, and hand-washing sinks for people to use after they visited a nearby animal petting and feeding area. The resulting western-themed structure, with its stucco exterior, rustic logs, and flat roof, fits right in with the theme in that area of the park.
The partnership between Romtec, French and Parrello, and the Turtle Back Zoo is a great example of how theme park or amusement park can meet multiple goals with one affordable, high-quality building. If your family entertainment center needs a new restroom, contact us today to find out what we can do for you.
