Skip to content

Outhouse is in plans for West Stettler Park

For much-needed relief at West Stettler Park, a toilet facility is set to soon be in place, while the town’s path network continues

For much-needed relief at West Stettler Park, a toilet facility is set to soon be in place, while the town’s path network continues to grow.

At its regular meeting last week, Town of Stettler council approved a staff recommendation to award the contract to Surface Flow Controls of Edmonton, with a bid of $15,400, the lower of two bids.

“I think it’s long overdue and lots of people have told me that it’s needed in this park,” Coun. Al Campbell said of an outhouse.

It would accommodate users of the park, who currently have to use the washroom by the spray park or at the Lions Campground — if the facilities are open, said the town’s assistant chief administrative officer, Greg Switenky.

“It’s more for emergency purposes.”

Design and appearance of the proposed building is familiar to travellers.

“These toilet facilities are typically located on highway pullouts throughout Alberta and British Columbia,” said a report from Gerry Little of the town’s parks and leisure services department.

While the project was budgeted at $13,500, the town received another bid of $19,015.39.

“The overall cost of this project is higher than the estimated capital costs due to the unexpected Alberta Health Services requirements of adding a frost-penetrating vault,” Little said.

He recommended the building be located on the west side of the park.

“This location is close to the parking lot and bandstand, but yet far enough away to dispense any odours away from park users.”

The cost to operate the outhouse would be about $50 a month, the sewer disposal fee, and another estimated $550 a year for chemical treatments and pump-outs.

Shop addition

Budgeted for $600,000, council awarded a tender for an addition to the public works shop to Hoopfer Construction of Stettler for $653,000, the lowest of six tenders, and directed administration to consult the contractor and mechanic to reduce costs.

The design that was tendered includes installing a new wall to separate existing offices from the shop, a complete renovation to existing offices, a meeting room and washroom, and an addition to the mechanics bay.

However, the overall cost of the project could be reduced by $15,000 to $20,000, said Melissa Robbins, director of operational services.

“I spoke with the contractor and the costs of some of the options could be lower.”

Coun. Darcy Bachman urged council to move forward with the shop project, as he expressed that the costs would not get any lower.