Public bathrooms in Bicentennial Square in Concord received a renovation this fall from the city’s General Services Department.
Work on both the men’s and women’s bathrooms – located between Margarita’s and Granite State Candy – included upgrades to plumbing, electrical and ventilation.
New floor tiles, wall coverings, and modern lavatory partitions were installed, as well as new door hardware.
The renovations improved ADA accessibility by creating a bigger stall that allows access for a wheelchair, General Services spokeswoman Angelina Zulkic said.
Other changes to improve ADA accessibility included lowering the hand dryers for easier reach, using grasp door handles for the exterior doors for easier opening, making sure the flooring on the outside is consistent with the inside to allow a wheelchair to access and insulating the pipes underneath the sink to minimize knee bumps.
The city’s Public Properties Division contracted with Cobb Hill Construction to complete the project, which cost around $45,000, from early September to early October.
The facilities had been out of sorts for years – porcelain on the sinks had chipped away, tiles were loose on the floors and soap dispensers were hanging lopsided from the walls.
Zulkic said it was time for some improvements.
“We’re proud of this transformation and are happy that these restrooms will better serve the community,” Zulkic said.
The renovations were completed in time to be available to the public for traditions like Halloween Howl in late October. The next big downtown event will be next week in front of the State House: the annual Christmas tree lighting.
The tree lighting will be held on Nov. 29 with activities beginning at 4 p.m. Main Street, from Centre Street to School Street, will be closed from 5 to 6:30 p.m. There will be horse-drawn wagon rides, a petting zoo, music performed by the Brian Waldron Band, face painting and refreshments. Santa will arrive at 5 p.m. and the tree lighting will begin just before 6 p.m., followed by fireworks.
City of Concord offices will be closed on both Thursday, Nov. 28 and Friday, Nov.29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. There will be no trash or recycling collection on Nov. 28. Trash and recycling services will be delayed one day for the rest of the week.