The plan to add restrooms outside Langrehr Field at the Great Bend Sports Complex was approved at Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting. Discussion of possibly doing the same for Heizer Park came later in the meeting.
The decision for the Langrehr Field project was not unanimous. Tina Mingenback, Jolene Biggs, Davis Jimenez and Lindsey Krom-Craven initially voted no. Biggs said her objection was that she wanted the project to include an anti-graffiti surface, which raised the price from $90,093 to $94,093.
Biggs then presented a motion to approve the project with the anti-graffiti surface and it passed 6-1, with Jimenez again voting no. Councilman Kevyn Soupiset was absent. Also voting yes were Rickee Maddox, Alan Moeder and Cory Urban.
An earlier proposal presented on May 6 was tabled to allow staff to gather more information. Assistant City Administrator Logan Burns described the latest proposal.
Through the Quality-of-Life sales tax initiative, this was set to be a project in 2025 with a total cost of $200,000. With the recent decision of tabling the QOL addition to Brit Spaugh Park, the city proposed moving this project up a year. A quote was obtained from preferred vendor CXT for a Cortez model with dimensions of 10 feet three inches by 17 feet. This concrete building has two single user, fully accessible flush restooms with simulated barnwood textured walls, simulated cedar shake textured roof, vitreous china fixtures, interior and exterior lights and a 4 gallon water heater, off-loaded and set up at the site. The city added options for electric hand dryers, an exterior drinking fountain that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and an electric lock system. The prefabricated building can be delivered in 120-150 days and should be ready for use next spring.
Heizer Park and Vets Park
Burns reported on other park projects, including restrooms at Heizer Park and repairs to playground equipment at Vets Park, Monday at the City Council meeting.
The playground equipment on the south playground at Veterans Memorial Park is closed for repairs but Burns said they hope to finish the work in the next few days. “That work was focused on replacing some slides and platforms, and we also had a bridge that we’ll replace,” he said.
Burns said he expects to bring a proposal for additional fencing at the Dog Park inside Veterans Memorial Park to the city council on July 1. The plan is to add fencing that separates smaller and larger dogs.
On July 15, he expects to bring a proposal to add a Musco-brand Mini Pitch System and restrooms at Heizer Park.
“This was something that we were looking to do in Brit Spaugh Park,” he said. The mini-system includes two courts, measuring approximately 80 by 88 feet, with a basketball goal add-on, bathrooms similar to those just approved. For this project, the city applied for a Land and Water Conservation Grant in the total amount of $161,000. “We have to do a City match of $200,000. We did an end-year transfer last year of $100,000.” Burns said he expects to have all of the quotes back in the next week or two.
Councilman Alan Moeder pointed out that bathrooms previously added at Heizer Park were later removed because illegal activities were going on there. “What are we going to do to make sure that doesn’t happen again? It seems like a waste, putting something back that we tore down for a reason.”
“I don’t know the entire history of that,” Burns said. But the new bathrooms will have a time-lock system so they won’t be open all of the time, and the improved lighting in the area should help, he said. “I think it would have to be something we stay on top of.”
He said moving the bathrooms closer to the street and adding some security cameras were also possibilities.
