The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – In an effort to encourage visitors and residents to spend time, and hopefully money, in downtown Dayton, three entities have joined forces on a two-phase project to enhance Dayton's downtown historic district. Phase one of that project, the construction of year-round, ADA-compliant public restrooms, broke ground this month.

The Dayton Development Task Force, the Dayton Historic Depot Society and the City of Dayton have partnered together to continue improvements to the Commercial Street Corridor. The corridor is home to the Smith Hollow School, the Dayton Historic Depot Museum, its courtyard, a restored Union Pacific Caboose and a new playground area. The adjacent alley is lined with public parking.

Funds from the Washington Main Street Tax Credit Incentive Program, which allows community businesses to donate a percentage of their state Business and Occupation tax or Public Utility Tax toward the development of downtown Dayton, were used to secure the services of Jim Stenkamp Architecture, whose firm also designed the Blue Mountain Artisan Center. Stenkamp developed a two-phase plan to dramatically improve the Caboose Park area.

Phase One is the addition of the restrooms near the playground and Depot courtyard. These will be Dayton's first year-round, public restrooms.

"With the playground getting more use and all the public and private events taking place at the Depot courtyard, the Depot Museum was getting more and more requests to use their restroom. And it's really not set up for that kind of use," said Port of Columbia manager and Task Force member Jennie Dickinson.

The design of the new restroom building will match the Depot with the same style siding, roof pitch and color. It will have two separate restrooms, an overhanging roof entry, a frost-free drinking fountain and handicapped accessible parking adjacent.

The structure will be placed so that it will be visible from Main Street and will be easily accessible to those parking in the alley, Weinhard Hotel patrons, tourists, event attendees and residents.

Dickinson said the Caboose Park area already has a blended ownership and shared maintenance. The city owns the area housing the Caboose, the playground, and the alley. The Depot Society owns the Depot and courtyard, rents the ground under the Caboose from the city, and allows public parking on its property adjacent to the alley.

The Task Force maintains the playground and a portion of the landscaping that is on City property. Dickinson said that the three entities have agreed to share the costs and responsibilities for the maintenance and operations of the new restrooms as well.

Financing for phase one is "very close" Dickinson said. She estimates costs for the restroom facility, adjacent ADA parking, and landscaping to be about $65,000. The already-completed design and survey (which also includes the phase two improvements) is an additional $20,000.

The Dayton Development Task Force and the Dayton Historic Depot Society have committed $30,000 each, the Dayton Columbia County fund has committed $5,000 and Columbia REA has donated $10,000, leaving only $10,000 in additional funding needed.

Phase two of the Caboose Park project includes additional enhancements – some fun and whimsical – to the park area. A metal arbor, reminiscent of a railroad tunnel, will welcome visitors to the park. The playground will be reconfigured in a circular area surrounded by a fence and walkway.

Columnar basalt and a grass mound will serve as informal seating, new trees and shrubbery will provide additional shade, and a six-foot concrete path will allow easy access from the park entrance to the playground. A post with directional signs – some real, and some just for fun – will be positioned near the playground.

Dickinson said that raising the last of the funding for phase one is the priority for now, however. She said the builders, M4 Construction, have been offered an incentive if the restroom facility is completed in time for this year's Christmas Kickoff, which will take place Nov. 28 and 29.