The Bellevue City Council took another step toward expanding amenities at American Heroes Park Tuesday night, approving a $110,340 design contract with Holland Basham Architects for new permanent restroom facilities.
The contract authorizes the Omaha architectural firm to prepare plans for the new restrooms, which will support the park’s growing use for recreation, community events, and festivals.
Councilman Thomas Burns voiced his support before the unanimous vote, calling the project a needed investment.
“I just want to publicly express that I think these are highly needed,” Burns said. “That park is very used, so I’m just really glad that this is being done.”
Councilman Don Preister asked whether the city could build upon restroom designs already used at other Bellevue parks instead of starting from scratch.
Public Works Director Dave Goedeken said that has been the city’s approach in recent years. Restrooms at Washington Park and Stonecroft Park were based on an earlier design at Looking Glass Park, while incorporating improvements suggested by the city’s maintenance staff. He said the American Heroes Park facility will follow the same philosophy, using the successful layout while adapting it to the site’s unique needs.
Unlike the city’s other neighborhood parks, however, American Heroes Park presents additional engineering challenges. Goedeken told council members there are currently no nearby sanitary sewer lines, meaning new infrastructure will be needed to connect the restroom to the recently constructed lift station near the park entrance. Existing water service will also need to be upgraded to accommodate the park’s long-term development.
Because the restroom will be constructed within the Missouri River floodplain, the project must also undergo floodplain permitting. Preister also asked staff to ensure flood protection measures are incorporated into the design to prevent sewage backups during future flood events.
Goedeken said the building’s internal layout will closely resemble Bellevue’s newer park restrooms, while the exterior may be customized to complement future improvements planned for American Heroes Park, including the proposed amphitheater and event space.
The approved agreement covers architectural, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and landscape design services, as well as construction administration. Once the design phase is complete, the city will be able to seek bids for construction of the new restroom facility as redevelopment of American Heroes Park continues.
