City of Puyallup announcement.
The Pioneer Park Restrooms, located adjacent to the Library in downtown Puyallup, is scheduled for renovations. Starting on April 10, 2023, the restrooms will be closed for approximately six to eight months for construction. The restrooms are anticipated to be completed in Fall 2023.
The restrooms are getting a make-over in Spring 2023. City Council recently approved a construction bid for the renovation project, which will upgrade the facility to be modern, fresh, and inviting. Once completed, the restrooms will include new amenities and look consistent with the other buildings in Pioneer Park.
Amenities to the new restroom building include the following.
- Women’s restrooms upgraded from two toilet stalls to five.
- Men’s restrooms upgraded from one toilet stall and two urinals to two toilet stalls and four urinals.
- Two brand new family restrooms with diaper changing stations.
- New, high-quality exterior finishing and natural lighting features.
- ADA-accessible upgrades, including parking spaces and restroom accommodations.
- New electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems.
The two family restrooms, in particular, will be a welcome addition. “Pioneer Park has become a destination for families, especially in the summer,” says Sarah Harris, Parks and Recreation Director. “Having these family restrooms will increase the park’s attractiveness and complement the park’s existing features. For example, with the Spray Park nearby, the rooms can be a place for parents to change their kid’s swimsuits.”
Originally built in 1990, the restrooms were constructed to handle the demand of the time. However, in recent years, failing equipment and constant repairs and maintenance have made the current facility costly. More importantly, the current restrooms no longer meet the needs of Pioneer Park. With more visitors and residents using the park, coupled with signature events in the summer, the restrooms have outlived their useful life.
“The turning point for us was in 2014 when the Spray Park was built,” Harris says. “After then, the restrooms just couldn’t keep up. That’s when the equipment started to wear out and fail. The repairs and maintenance have gotten to the point where we needed to start thinking about a replacement plan.”
In 2021, Parks staff hired a consultant, ARC Designs, to design several different building options to be considered. The consultant met with Parks staff and the Parks Advisory Board, through a series of stakeholder meetings to come up with design elements that complemented the character, history, and aesthetic of Pioneer Park. These options were brought before City Council in January 2022, after which Council approved a design concept to move forward.
Throughout 2022, staff worked internally to get necessary permits and approvals for the project site. A construction bid was sent out in December 2022, and Neeley Construction was selected in January 2023 as the contractor.
During the closure, portable toilets will be available to the public as a temporary option. The public can also use the Puyallup Public Library restrooms during normal business hours. Staff has also coordinated with event organizers, who use Pioneer Park in the summer, to make sure construction does not impact signature events such as the Farmers Market.
“Our community partners, such as PMSA, have been very understanding with the project and we appreciate their patience,” says Harris. “I think the community is going to be impressed by the new building. We are using high-quality materials for construction, meaning it will last us fifty years or more. That also means fewer repairs and maintenance in the long term.”
The total project construction cost is $1.7 million and is primarily funded by a Local Infrastructure Funding Tool (LIFT) grant of $1.5 million from the State of Washington. The remaining funds will come out of the Parks Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) budget and various utility budgets.
For more information about this project, and updates, please visit the City’s website page. For questions, please contact Sarah Harris at Sarah@puyallupwa.gov.
