Gotta go? The case for year-round public washrooms in London parks

There are more than 40 outdoor washrooms in London city parks, but if you need a bathroom during a winter walk and you're not at Victoria Park or Springbank Park, you're likely out of luck. 

It's a situation a London academic who's researching bathroom access would like to see change in our growing city. 

"Washrooms in parks are often seen more as a 'nice to have,' instead of a 'need to have,'" said Shawna Lewkowitz, a PhD candidate at Western University who's studying how Canadian cities are providing outdoor bathrooms. "Really, they should be seen as an essential service." 

Lewkowitz has written a submission to London city council's community and protective services committee, asking them to consider expanding bathroom access. She'd like to see the new bathroom at Gibbons Park be kept open through winter as a pilot project to assess its usage. 

"I'd like to see how it goes and see if it increases the use of the park because we really don't want to expect people to stay at home just because of the colder weather," said Lewkowitz. 

The committee will also consider a staff report, which you can read here, that looks at washroom access at city parks and recreation facilities. The report came in response to a council request to look at the issue, including everything from the state of the city's public bathrooms to the staffing required to support them. 

The city provides 40 outdoor washrooms, 34 indoor washrooms and 31 portable washrooms at various parks, along with recreational and sports facilities. 

Most outdoor washrooms are open between the start of May and the end of October from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. The only exception is Springbank and Victoria Parks, which are open year-round. Bathrooms at city outdoor pools are open from July 1 to Labour Day. 

Bathrooms inside facilities such as recreation centres and arenas have hours that correspond with the opening hours of those buildings. 

The report says city staff open and close the outdoor bathrooms every day on a staggered schedule between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Also, the bathrooms are typically cleaned after they close. Not all bathrooms are cleaned throughout the day, but the report says staff do their best to respond to complaints. 

Porta-potties are far from perfect

The report says portable washrooms are maintained by an external provider with an expectation that they're cleaned and serviced twice a week. The report concedes that portable toilets aren't ideal. They're a frequent source of complaints and challenging to locate in a way that doesn't trigger complaints from neighbours. Also, the report says the city has experienced "service delivery deficiencies with multiple porta-potty providers."

Removing them, however, would lead to a reduced level of service. The report says staff are of the opinion that the city should look at alternatives to porta-potties in the future. 

Rising costs, vandalism 

The report also flags other challenges of expanding bathroom access, including the cost of providing running water in sub-zero weather. Increasing vandalism is adding another level of difficulty.

"Washroom repair costs are increasing and leading to some facilities being off-line for extended periods of time," the report says. "Requests for staff presence or increased security measures are also becoming more frequent." 

As the city grows and winters become less severe, there's a growing expectation that washrooms in city parks will be open year-round.

Underlying it all, of course, is the cost. The city's 10-year capital budget includes $4.4 million for new outdoor bathrooms. Building new washrooms, the report says, is becoming more expensive. Costs for building one bathroom can range from $250,000 to $600,000. 

The cost of repairing or replacing old bathrooms is also flagged in the report, with a projected cost over the next 10 years of about $3 million. The report said staff are working to address another complaint: That operating hours of public washrooms aren't always posted. The city plans to address this with new signage and information on its website.

The report says staff will take a wider look at how the city provides outdoor bathrooms in the coming update to London's Parks and Recreation Master Plan. That draft document is due to come before council in the third quarter of next year. 

For now, Lewkowitz said the city isn't doing a terrible job, but there is room for improvement. She'd like to see London develop a comprehensive plan with guiding principles on public washrooms, something other cities such as Toronto and Guelph have done. She said many cities are looking for better ways to provide public washrooms that serve people with physical challenges and gender-diverse people.

Lewkowitz pointed to the United Nations' definitions on access to sanitation in public spaces as important guiding points. Those UN criteria are availability, accessibility, affordability, quality and safety, and privacy and dignity.

"Parks are a key place of well-being and health for people," she said. "But there's not great access to public washrooms in city spaces. When washrooms aren't available, they may avoid going to parks." 

The report will be considered at Monday's community and protective services committee meeting.