A spirited discussion of washroom hours at Ganges’ signature public park will be spilling over to a special budget meeting at the end of the month, as Salt Spring officials continue to mull costs –– and community benefits –– to keeping some facilities open overnight.
Centennial Park’s washrooms currently open and close on a schedule that has evolved over several years, Local Community Commission (LCC) members learned at their meeting Thursday, Jan. 16. Senior manager Dan Ovington said the “new” facility –– replaced in 2018 and featuring two larger gender-specific washrooms and a single-occupant universal washroom –– has been routinely closed overnight, following partly on lessons learned with the old washrooms, which were most often vandalized during those hours.
But overnight troubles did continue after construction of the current facility, ranging from scratched mirrors and graffiti to open defecation and the smashing of toilets and urinals.
“What we see is after hours, when we have facilities available, we have gatherings happen in Centennial Park,” said Ovington. “And park staff are cleaning up all sorts of things. So over a number of years adjustments have been made.”
In their efforts to minimize vandalism, Ovington explained, parks staff have for some years been closing the larger washrooms at 3 p.m. each day during the winter –– leaving the universal washroom open until 9:30 p.m., when it is closed by TLC Security staff. That washroom has continued to see ongoing vandalism, Ovington explained, but its smaller size has meant less to clean up when that occurs –– and, while the universal washroom might face extended closures for cleaning or repair, the other two could remain open for use the next day.
Commissioners had requested staff present options for keeping some washroom capacity open 24 hours, including the possibility of providing a porta-potty on site, not unlike the one currently budgeted and operated at the entrance to Mouat Park. And while some LCC members bristled at the optics of putting a temporary toilet in front of a “brand-new washroom,” a staff analysis noted the rental of a porta-potty for 12 months would cost less than half as much as contracting an additional security check overnight at the washrooms.
“I think we either decide we have a responsibility to provide washroom facilities late at night –– and suck it up, do it in that building and bear the cost –– or we decide no, our responsibility is to have a washroom there during daylight park hours,” said LCC member Brian Webster. “And you know, arguments can be made on both sides of that.”
Commissioner Ben Corno noted the space was “unique” among island parks, in that in addition to regular daytime park users the facilities there are regularly used by people who live on boats.
“And there are also people who either are living rough, or doing what they want to after the park is closed,” said Corno, “who find themselves without a bathroom option in town.”
“I do think it’s good, regardless of which clientele we’re thinking about, to have an option downtown late at night,” said commissioner and Capital Regional District (CRD) director Gary Holman. “As an older fella, if I need to go to the bathroom, that sometimes becomes a bit of an emergency.”
Ultimately the LCC decided to have staff further investigate the staffing, cost and service implications of keeping just the universal washroom open 24/7 on a trial basis, and to decide on whether to go ahead with the idea at a planned special meeting Thursday, Jan. 30, appropriately enough meant to finalize commissioners’ budget plans.
“I do think, even on a trial basis, we should make some provision for additional funding,” said Holman, “and not just hope it won’t require additional time by TLC or CRD staff.”