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.” 

A single Capital Regional District (CRD)-operated building on Salt Spring contributes two per cent of all of the regional government’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, local officials learned last week. 

And the 38,000-square-foot Salt Spring Island Multi Space (SIMS) facility, the former middle school built in the 1960s, contributes about 71 per cent of the island’s combined parks and recreation facility emissions, according to senior manager Dan Ovington, who brought an informational report to the Salt Spring Island Local Community Commission (LCC) Thursday, Jan. 16. 

The CRD took over management and operation of SIMS in the summer of 2023, including assuming the cost — and emissions impacts — of the building’s four propane-fired boilers and rooftop cooling unit. SIMS is one of just seven remaining CRD sites that rely upon fossil fuels as a primary heating source, Ovington said. 

“Two per cent might not sound like a big number, but it’s definitely had us marked as a ‘black sheep’ within the CRD,” chuckled Ovington. “Which may sound like a bad thing, but that’s actually opened up a lot of doors through our Climate Action Group.” 

Those opportunities include not only grant funding but also staff support, Ovington said, adding that an energy audit should be completed within the next few weeks that is expected to include recommendations for projects to increase efficiency in heating the building –– and, hopefully, lower costs, particularly as propane prices rise.  

“In addition to reducing the GHG emissions, a fundamental rationale is cost saving,” said LCC member and CRD director Gary Holman. “Once you’ve made the capital investment, for example, in the heat pumps, the operating costs should be much lower — so there should be a cost saving and therefore a freeing-up of requisition.” 

A conceptual design for a “decarbonization” of SIMS’ HVAC — converting the existing HVAC system to a low-carbon electric system, using existing distribution equipment wherever possible –– is expected to be complete this spring.