Officials Join to Celebrate West Hills Upgrade
East Franklin Township Supervisors and Parks and Recreation Commission members joined yesterday afternoon to celebrate the opening of a handicapped-accessible restroom in West Hills Community Park. Officials represented included (L-R) Supervisor Dan Goldinger, Parks and Recreation Vice-Chair Ken Burkett, Supervisor (and Parks and Rec representative) David Stewart, Parks and Rec Chair Norman Gaggini, Supervisor Chair Barry Peters and (front) Parks and Recreation Secretary/Treasurer Jack Norton.
by Jonathan Weaver
Snow and freezing temperatures might limit West Hills Community Park rentals this season, but a handicapped-accessible restroom will be waiting for students or local residents when needed.
Yesterday, East Franklin Township supervisors and Parks and Recreation Commission members peeked inside and celebrated the restroom facility that was installed by crane recently.
In August, supervisors approved a $4,520 bid from a local contractor, Simon Cochran Construction, to prepare cement around the site of a new handicapped-accessible restroom facility near the Heritage Park pavilion near the West Hills Primary School site. East Franklin Township provided materials.
The construction bid was the lowest through the state’s cooperating purchasing program, COSTARS.
The price for a new Cortez restroom building is more than $52,000, but local officials received a $25,000 grant from the state before the remainder is matched by the municipality.
According to specifications, the building with two skylights includes an ADA drinking fountain, electric hand dryers and timed electric locks as part of its security system.
The building was put in place by the end of September.
Supervisor David Stewart acknowledged the difficulty senior citizens or handicapped children might have if renting the pavilion without the sidewalk.
Officials had to order other construction materials – including a crane to unload the 20-ton self-contained bathroom from the state of Texas.
Plans for the restroom began last summer when supervisors met informally with then-County Planning and Development Community Division Director Jennifer Bellas about the 2011 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant to build a unisex restroom at the Heritage Park pavilion.
At that time, bidding to see overall costs was held off as not to disturb summer rentals at the pavilion and officials were not receiving enough quotes for materials.
East Franklin Township has had a lease agreement on the space for nearly 20 years.
East Franklin | jweaver November 22, 2016
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