EDITORIAL – New public loos will be pricey, and where to put them?
The Vernon loo. (Image: City of Vernon)
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
WHEN IT COMES to real estate and public washrooms, it’s all about location.
Kamloops City council spent an hour on Tuesday talking about an application for a $2.5 million grant from the Province, and most of it was centered around the public washroom mess.
There’s a pressing need for public washrooms in the City’s main shopping areas due to the increasing presence of street people, some of whom exhibit less-than-impeccable bathroom manners, especially when there’s no toilet handy.
As a result, they often do their business in doorways, on sidewalks or streets or in front of businesses. It’s gross and it’s a health problem. Many cities are experiencing the same thing and they’re all looking for answers.
Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
The public loo should be installed in a high frequency area and not hidden away. For sure one near City Hall…I am not trying to be an agitator or anything like that.