$500,000 Toilets Planned for Texas Bank Sports Complex

Upgrades to the Texas State Bank Sports Complex have become a top priority for the city's Parks and Recreation department, who would like to see the public get full use out of the monstrous facility and are looking to address some complaints made in the way of the complex's restroom facilities.

The $9.9 million sports complex on Rio Concho Dr. and Bell St. opened in August of 2009, and includes facilities for softball, baseball, flag football, kickball, sand volleyball, as well as a community park. The park was named Complex of the Year in 2010 by the West Texas division of the United States Sports Specialty Association.  

At the baseball fields, local teams storm the fields almost every night of the week during baseball season, and the complex draws a crowd during tournaments and other major events. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board discussed the list of upgrades requested and the priority of each in a board meeting on May 28.

Adding more public restrooms was highlighted as a main priority at the Parks and Recreation meeting, while parking issues and plans for a pavilion are also on the list of improvements planned for the complex.

“We are probably looking at $400,000 to $500,000 to add one restroom in each quadrant,” said Carl White, Parks and Recreation Director.  “The pavilion, depending on whether we build it in-house or not, could be anywhere from $30,000 to $70,000, and I don’t want to put a figure on the parking because that could be problematic.”

 Board members said they have been approached by people who have complained that the restrooms are so far away they are missing innings of their children's game just traveling to and from the bathrooms.

“If we are trying to bring in tournaments to the complex and be a top rate facility in the state, especially west Texas, that pull these teams in, I think it is an amenity we need to add,” said Dianna Faulkner, who was filling in as Recreation Supervisor at the time.  “So when people are looking at what tournaments they are going to go to, the parents are the ones who decide, if they remember an accessible restroom that will definitely help.”

The advisory board asked for the quickest solution regarding funding. White said a bond election would be the quickest but not realistic. However, the hotel occupancy tax has about $3 million in it, some of which White says could be used towards the improvements at the complex since it is used as a venue for out-of-towners to gather.

While adding more parking is on the priority list.  It seems it is really only an issue if there is a big event like the Easter Egg Hunt, or a baseball or softball tournament that takes place at the venue, events that draw huge crowds.

“The Easter Egg hunt is the big issue with parking,” said Faulkner. “I don’t know if we could ever really have enough parking for that event because it is so big. As far as the tournaments go, we have parking, it’s just that [people] don’t want to walk as far as they have to walk. We do try to accommodate the elderly and handicapped with golf carts, if we have the staff for the golf carts.”

After much discussion it was concluded that the complex is not really set up to add any more parking, but may consider it at another time.  No matter where you put the parking lot patrons still have a bit of a walk depending on which field is being played because the complex is so big. It is meant for outdoor athletic activity after all, outside the fence is as close as your car will get.

The cost and priority of each item was discussed, including the pavilion.

 “If we contract it, which is likely the case since we are so stretched with projects and not enough staff, it would be closer to $60,000 to $70,000. Depending on how large we make it, it could actually be a little more than that,” said White. “I actually probably have more of a chance for getting a grant with the pavilion then the larger items.”

In the end the board set their list of priorities unanimously when it comes to improvements at the sports complex; restrooms, pavilion, parking, in that order.