Gilmer County’s River Park will soon have rest rooms at the beginning, middle and end of its walking path.
Jody Cantrell, Gilmer Parks and Recreation director, confirmed this as demolition of old rest room facilities continued last week.
“We have demoed the field two bathrooms, the old concession stand and the (old rest rooms) at field seven,” he said.
The old rest room building that was located near the Veterans Memorial Park and lower playground area had become more of a liability after repeated vandalism and being used as refuge by the homeless population, confirmed Cantrell.
Toilets and other fixtures were repeatedly broken and defaced there over the years, causing multiple problems. The facilities were eventually blocked off with caution tape.
“Hopefully, we will be able to keep these (new rest rooms) locked after hours. Hopefully, that will also alleviate some of that vandalism,” Cantrell said. “They will be a little nicer as we are putting tile in from the floor to the ceiling, which is a little harder to tear up. We’re going to be able to manage these better, and they will be a little more off the beaten path.”
Construction is now wrapping up on the middle set of rest rooms near the park’s pickleball/tennis courts.
“We are fixing to tap into the sewer and put a water meter there, so they should be operational in the next couple of weeks,” Cantrell said.
The third set of facilities will be built near the walking path loop on the south end of the park.
“When we get these by the tennis and pickleball courts finished, that’s where we’re headed next,” Cantrell said.
Security cameras will be another fixture of the new facilities.
“We’re looking at doing two or three different phases (of security cameras), so we’re going to be getting that ball rolling as well,” Cantrell said.
The rest rooms at the start of the walking path were vandalized just last week, said Cantrell. There are cameras outside that building.
“They ripped the door off and did some other things. We’ve got all that fixed, and they’re back operational,” he added.
The old concession stand that’s been leveled had gone unused since park and rec games moved to the Clear Creek ballfields, said Cantrell.
“We do still have a couple of teams that come down there and hit. Hopefully, in the near future, they will be able to use (that field) more. They cut all the power to the lights, but we will see in the near future if that changes any,” he added.
Cantrell noted the park rest room construction is being funded by an existing state grant.