Ground preparations are underway for a long-awaited restroom facility near the Playground @ Ft. Steilacoom Park. The pre-fab concrete structure, similar to the restroom located near the baseball fields in the park, is expected to be delivered and installed sometime later in October or early November, according to Lakewood City Parks Director Mary Dodsworth. The bathroom will replace the sani-cans which have been in use near the playground for the last five years. Partners for Parks raised much of the funding for the permanent facility and the remainder of the cost was covered by the City of Lakewood.
I certainly applaud having sanitary rest rooms in the park, but I caution that, because of drugs, etc., in order to preserve the public’s safety, these new facilities will require regular policing, and I haven’t heard this requirement being discussed by anyone.
I see a lot of heavy equipment and large sewer(?) pipes. What exactly is this going to cost citizens? Is the cost of a sewer hook up to a main line far away going to inflate the cost? Were other alternatives to a sewer hook up (i.e. septic system) considered?
John Arbeeny
From Dave Sclair: The sewer pipe was installed when the original park upgrade was done about 5 years ago so the only additional cost is for the city staff work. Partners for Parks raised around $125,000 for the project and the city came up with the rest, much of it coming through costs for staff efforts.
The bathroom near the baseball fields has been in place and used for the last five years and there have been no complaints about the upkeep, as far as I have heard. I anticipate the park’s crew will keep this facility just as well as the first one. I think the staff caring for the entire park do an outstanding job in keeping things up.