Public Restroom Proposed for Kendrick Park
A Portland Loo prefabricated public restroom is proposed for Kendrick Park. Photo: amherstma.gov
Report on the Meeting of the Design Review Board, April 29, 2024
This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded. It can be viewed here.
Present: Erika Zekos (Chair), Pat Auth, Karen Blum, Lindsay Scharr, and Karin Winter.
Staff: Rob Watchilla (Planner)
The town proposes to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for a prefabricated accessible toilet facility at Kendrick Park. Special Capital Projects Coordinator Bob Pareint presented the plan to the Design Review Board (DRB) at its April 29 meeting. The plan is to install a unit manufactured by Portland Loo on the western side of the park near the angled parking on North Pleasant Street. The DPW is planning to expand the sidewalk on that side of the park to connect it with the existing pathway to the playground. This work can be coordinated with the plumbing and electrical work needed for the restroom. The project will also need approval from the Planning Board and a possible special permit to locate it closer to the sidewalk than the required 15 feet.
Pareint said that the town looked into building a concrete restroom or a custom-built structure, but both of those were more expensive and less attractive than the premanufactured product.
Portland Loo designs are single occupancy, “no frills” restrooms that are fully accessible and have a changing table. A handwashing station will be located outside. The units have louvers at the top and bottom, so it is possible to see how many people are occupying it. This feature was appreciated by public safety. There is a skylight on the roof. The units were originally designed for Portland, Oregon, but are now widely used throughout the country. There is one near the large parking lot behind the former Wilson’s department store in Greenfield and several in Cambridge and Sommerville.
There are no color options for the restroom, and Pareint said the stainless steel exterior is easy to clean and resistant to vandalism.
The town plans to have the restroom open into the evening, but not 24 hours a day. The manufacturers suggest that blue interior lighting discourages illicit activities to take place inside. The unit will be constructed on a slab and connected to water and sewer. The plumbing components will have heating elements to prevent the pipes from freezing in the winter.
DRB Chair Erika Zekos asked about the possibility of using solar panels for an energy source, but Pareint was worried about shading from nearby trees that would limit the amount of energy available, and the possibility of the pipes freezing in the winter if power is not sufficient. He did acknowledge that a hybrid option, using both conventional and solar power, is possible.
DRB members also wondered about the siting of the restroom, whether it could be moved farther from the sidewalk or even to the East Pleasant Street side of the park, but Pareint worried that either of those options would make the structure less accessible. He said he will look into the feasibility of other locations, possibly to make solar power more viable.
The DRB deferred making a decision on the design until its May 20 meeting. They want the town to look into other locations and to clarify signage and landscaping plans. Due to the regulations for using ARPA funds, the town must sign a contract by December 31, but Pareint said he is hoping to settle on a timeframe by July. He plans to submit the application for Planning Board approval.
And the 7 days a week labor and supplies to make a heavily used public restroom work will come from what budget?
This would be a wonderful amenity. Having it be a dependable, clean space might be a challenge. Are we up for the challenge?
How does an open-air unit like this function in very cold winter weather (assuming “very cold” is still a thing)?
It seems unaffordable not to construct something like this in this location. Truly public restrooms are in short supply in Amherst. Kendrick Park is already a well-loved park for families with children. Children need to use restrooms and be able to clean their hands often, and this is logically a worthwhile endeavor.
The Portland Loo website says the units are over $150,000 plus another 45K for transport and install costs. Unit in Portland are cleaned 2-5 times a day.
Seems a very well thought out public amenity. Sturdy, easy to clean, allows enough privacy but it also designed to discourage illicit activities.
I like that the blue light inside The Portland Loo discourages illicit activity.