I have not had the need to review the master plan for the park- as such I do not know when the rest rooms were originally scheduled -- could be ahead of schedule for all I know.

In most outdoor venue projects I have been involved with, rest rooms, parking, sidewalks, landscaping, etc, were always the last things.

On many (most projects) there are items deferred until a future date. Classic example, unless it is an integral part of the main structure, parking garage are almost always the last thing built in skyscraper construction. One could look at that and think "How do you build a 4,000 person building without parking?"

I think everyone is on the same page, it just a question of the order of things.

In conception and initial planning stages, I am sure due allocation was given to such items.

Tophat,

Yes those things are part of any major project like a park or other large sized construction project. But don't you think if you plan a park with all the ball fields this one is going to have you would also plan for proper parking and restrooms for such a project?? That said all of the engineering and design costs should have already been part of the original park plans. So why do these things need to be done again???? I have been in the construction field all of my adult life and would have had my bids on jobs thrown away if they did not allow for restrooms in the bids. Who builds anything with out them???? It would be like bidding to build a house and after its built bid to put a restroom in it... It just shows how stupid those in power are. They approved plans for a park that did not include restrooms at a cost of what 2 million dollars counting the 1 million in matching funds. I guess 2 million was not enough to allow for a restroom!!!!!! Give me a break!!!!! Maybe 1 less ballfield should have been bid with that savings used FOR A RESTROOM!!!!! Again how STUPID do those in power think we are????? You don't plan a park with all the things this one is going to have with out restrooms for ALL the people these ballfields will have using them. You would not plan to build a store with out parking for customers or a school with out enough classrooms for all the students or a home with out a bathroom in it. So why would anyone plan and design a park of this scope without restrooms??????

One does not build a restroom until there is a need is on the horizon.

$170k, in my opinion is a reasonable price. There is much more to a project like this.

1. Site preparation - civil engineering
2. Supporting infrastructure (electric, water, sewer)
3. Support improvement (sidewalks, lighting, parking)
4. Compliance with local, state, and federal regulations
5. Building code compliance is nothing is line with building a residence

Being in support industry for the construction industry most of my career, I have first hand experience with this type of project.
My penciled on the back of an envelope estimate:
Required permits, civil and commercial engineering cost $35k
Site preparation, utility access, soil stabilization $55k
Surrounding support improvement (water fountains, sidewalk,lighting,grounds$40k
Actual building and fixtures (handicap access, security consideration)
Stall square footage 4 @ 42" x 66". 2@ 76" x 66" 135 sq.ft.
Stall ingress 220 sq.ft.
Urinal square footage (with w/ingress) 80 sq.ft.
Handwash basin (with ingress) 180 sq,ft,
Common ingress 430 sq.ft.
Utility support room 110 sq.ft.

Approximate 1200 sq.ft. @ $ 480 = $57.6k

If stick built by contractor experience in this type of construction with no profit.
Total $187.6k

Personally, I would not be comfortable with this price unless there was a cost overrun clause.

Who in their right mind plans a public park WITHOUT restrooms???? DO THEY REALLY THINK WE ARE THAT STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The restrooms should have been included in the cost of the park from the start.

Does anyone see a pattern here build schools then worry about TRAFFIC after the fact!!!! BUILD a walking/biking trail that crosses a MAJOR road in the middle of the block instead of at an intersection then close it down because of safety issues. consoldate visd into 1 high school only to say we need two new high schools a few years later to meet our students needs. close victoria high campus down because it fails to meet the needs of modern education then put advanced classes in those old unfit buildings and build more buildings there for art and culture.classes. Spend millions on mainstreet project to bring life and new business to downtown and add NO NEW PARKING SPACES. The stupidity shown by those in power just goes on and on without end. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH the only STUPID thing now is to let these people continue to do these stupid things with our tax money.

175,000 for six stall bathroom!!!!!! 30,000 per crapper COME ON THATS WAY TO EXPENSIVE wake up folks somebody is lining their pockets at our expense. Paying that much for a restroom is down right STUPID all who voted for this project should be RECALLED and booted out of office no wonder our taxes keep going up every year. Whom ever designed this white elephant called a restroom is an IDIOT and those who voted for it are NOT WISELY SPENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS. FIRE the EGO-MANIACS who call themselves public servants starting with his holiness the mayor.

why is the city so anxious to get this bathroom approved and in place before the park construction work has even started ?

was this the case of use or lose it funds before the end of the year ?

Dude, I’ve taken a bit to think about your comment about my comment. What exactly was negative about it? Rangel and Polasek both voted for this project and both are up for reelection. Those are the facts, and those facts were created by those two individuals. If stating fact, which is what I did, is a negative thing, so be it. Am I just supposed to ignore the decisions of our city government and not question?

Apparently you don’t follow my comments closely enough because you missed the very positive comment about the Victoria Police Department Civilian Police Academy. Maybe you could check into that, you know, so you’d have something to do while you wait on that monument to city government to be built at the Lone Tree Park.

We must have plenty of City workers standing around looking for something to do. The city council were able to quickly divert workers from whatever they were doing to help put in parking lots for the pumphouse restaurant.

BTW, how's that pumphouse project coming along? Are hundreds of vehicles fighting over those parking spaces?
Certainly there were some studies performed to determine the value of this combined effort between the city and the pumphouse owners. I mean we are going to be able to see the before parking lot figures and after parking lot figures to see the influx of park users trying to use this parking, right?
Or are we just basing this off the word of a few city council members?

$280,000 here... $175,000 there... pretty soon it all adds up. But it's free money, right?

holein1,

I take your post to be critical, with a veiled attempt at humor, of those of us who oppose unwarrented spending.

If the current critical infrastructure was maintained and a surplus of funds existed, parks are not a bad thing. The REALITY is, streets are on a 100 year maintenance cycle, existing park infrastructure is not maintained and there IS NOT a surplus of funds. Putting non-critical spending ahead of critical infrastructure maintenance, in my opinion, is not a good use of tax dollars.

Not only are current dollars being spent on this project before other critical projects are funded, additional ongoing maintenance costs are being created. Let's take care of what we have before creating more to take care of.

"Buy-Board" is an overpriced means by which lazy bureaucrats can eliminate part of their job by avoiding going out for competive bids.

I have products on several "buy boards" at 17% above what standard retail should be in the open market.

Dear Council,

Please take your own tour of the city park restrooms and just imagine the shape the new ones will be in a year or so. The city crews have more now than they can keep up with. Why not shut down some neighborhood parks. Parents don't want their kids hanging at the neighborhood parks for safety reasons. Start concentrating on the most used facilities.

Look at all the people that have to maintain the citys property. I still cant get over that. Not sure if they can file a lien on you for not maintaining their property but if not then its sure to come. And they claim they dont have the money.

You guys are right!

The last thing this city needs is another park for its citizens, much less a restroom for the park. For crying out loud, look at what they're going to have at this park. Soccer and ball fields? Really? Kids today do not need more green space to play in. The splash pad is just going to be a breeding ground for bacteria and disease.

We don't need more parks, they are only used by gangs, thugs, litter bugs, gays and of course the rich elite that use parking lot so they can get to their private table at The Pump House.

Private investors should be the ones opening parks. They can charge entry fees to use towards upkeep and adding additional features.

This burden of creating and maintaining city, state and federal parks is a complete waste of money. Tax payers should not have to subsidize the leisure, entertainment or enjoyment of the citizenry, much less pay to enhance, nurture or protect the beauty of America.

Way to go!!! Keep fighting the good fight!!!

6 stall bathroom for a empty ditch

I continue to be amazed by some of these decisions.

In a council meeting within the last month it was mentioned again that our residential streets are on a repair cycle of almost 100 years. Streets last 30-50 years so the current cycle is 2-3 times the life of a street.

How can you justify spending more money to create more ongoing maintenance issues when the current infrastructure is not maintained? We can't seem to maintain our current parks, we can't get streets maintained in a timely fashion but we can build new parks and create more costs that continue in perpetuity. Sounds like more "legacy building" is taking place.

Folks, you might as well roll over and accept the decades of maintenance costs and unforeseen expenses of this new park. Once a project like this gets off the ground with "free" money, there's no turning back.

I guess all the gays will now go to Lone Tree Park instead of the old stinky ones in Riverside...hehehe.

Local contractors can bid on buy board projects. You have to sign up for the notifications and give them some of your information. I am a local contractor and I bid on buy board projects occasionally. They are very competitive which is a good thing for the local governments.

Maybe lids on the garbage cans would help with the buzzard situation. Probably not though, as most park users just throw trash on the ground and leave it for park staff to clean up.

Wow, it takes every ounce of courage and nose holding one can produce to just walk into a restroom down at Riverside and we're spending $!75K at the new park. Please tell me improvements are headed to Riverside as well?

While we're talking about Parks. I counted 237 Buzzards in the immediate area of the duck ponds at Riverside and another 32 across the River north of the park. Parks people, can't we get rid of these things?
They send a pretty clear message to visitors, something is dead around here.

why isn't this part of the park construction project ?

More importantly Edith you are negative about every single thing the City does. I am glad the parks are finally progressing and adding new things. Especially to my side of town. Denise and Paul do not even live near this park, but they are visionary and can see what Victoria can become.

Let's get er built.

More importantly, Denise Rangel and Paul Polasek who will be up for reelection in May voted for this project.