Project scaled back

A planned project to renovate the restroom/concession building at Runkle-Miller Field has been scaled back at the request of the team.

Portland Park Board on Tuesday agreed to reduce the scale of the renovation project it approved early this year.

At its February meeting, the park board approved a plan that would have removed block walls to create two family restrooms that would be Americans with Disabilities Act compliant. The project also included a new three-bay sink and hot water heater for the concession area.

The facility had been the subject of discussions for 10 months at that point. Upgrades had been included in the city’s five-year master park plan, but an effort to get grant funding for a new facility was unsuccessful.

Portland Rockets manager Randy Miller, Dru Hall, Randy Fisher and other supporters of the team visited Tuesday’s meeting to request that the project be scaled back. They expressed concern that having only the two family restrooms at the field would not be sufficient, saying crowds have reached as many as 400 this season.

Instead, they asked that existing restrooms remain as they are, with a urinal that was not functioning properly be reinstalled.

Hall said the team is hopeful to be able to raise funds in order to be able to build a new restroom, concession and press box facility behind home plate in the coming years.

After about a half-hour discussion, park board members voted to amend the approved project to include just the sink and water heater. They also agreed to have the urinal re-installed.

Board members also reviewed rules for Marion Splash House as part of their discussion about implementing stricter rules at Portland Water Park. 

In June, the board discussed issues regarding fighting, underage drinking and other issues, with Brewster asking if water park staff could start doing bag checks at the door.

Water park manager Eliza Bader said there have also been problems with vaping and marijuana use on the property. She also suggested implementing an age restriction to make sure young children are not coming to the pool unattended.

The Splash House rules require anyone younger than 13 to be accompanied by an adult. They also ban alcohol, tobacco and drugs and require that all bags be searched.

Board members plan to review the rules with plans to implement their own updates for the 2024 season.

Bader reported that 127 family passes and 43 single passes have been sold this year, pool rentals have been fully booked and a week of swimming lessons drew more than 60 students.

She also told the board that she is interested in continuing as the water park manager next year.

The board also accepted the donation of a water fountain for Hudson Family Park from the Goodrich Family Foundation.

Emily Goodrich told the board the foundation wanted to make the donation in honor of her parents, John and Sarona Goodrich. The piece of equipment will include a conventional drinking fountain, a water bottle filler and a fountain at ground level for pets.

Plans are to install the fountain along the walking trail in an area nearby the dog park.

Parks department employee Matt Shauver told the board that city crews spent about seven hours cleaning up debris in Haynes Park following Saturday’s storm. He said plans were to begin work on the Kelly Baggs Nature Trail on Wednesday.

Shauver also noted that the motor that runs the filtration system at Portland Water Park is nearing the end of its life. A new motor is estimated at $16,000, but he said he’s hopeful that the existing motor could be refurbished.

In other business, the board:

•Heard from Shauver that new pickleball courts to be constructed at Milton Miller Park are expected to be complete this month.

•Reviewed options for new playground equipment at Haynes Park. The board took no action but will consider the upgrading equipment as it plans future capital improvement projects.

•Learned from Shauver that shuffleboard courts at Portland Memorial Park have been painted.