Regina councillors weigh in on $20K downtown washroom

A single, public use toilet could be coming to Regina's downtown area but some city councillors are sceptical about the price and need.

Councillors Jerry Flegel, Lori Bresciani and Jason Mancinelli expressed concerns about the proposed $20,000 temporary public washroom but each had their own reasons for opposition.

"I believe in the need. I believe in the planning for the need and everything else," said Coun. Mancinelli.

"But I don't think I need to spend money on a pilot project to find that out and I don't find the cost in this report to be reflective of what we've heard through this meeting today." 

A motion was introduced at an April meeting to prepare a report outlining some of the cost of opening and operating either a seasonal or 24/7-accessible washroom for the public.

That report was addressed on Thursday and laid out three options: do nothing, undertake the temporary $20,000 pilot project to gather data or prepare to build a permanent structure for a public washroom in downtown Regina for a higher price. 

The committee settled on the $20,000 pilot project and it will go before city council at the next meeting on Oct. 28. The pilot project would see the toilet cleaned twice a day, at $45 per cleaning. 

It would be open between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. and would feature everything you'd find in any other washroom, including wheelchair accessibility. It would also be in place for about five months, between May and September. 

Coun. Bresciani said two cleanings per day would simply not be enough. She is also said it's not up to surrounding businesses to provide public washrooms and it's unfair to expect it.

"Cleanliness is huge," she said. 

The other two public facilities with washrooms in the area are City Hall and the central branch of the Regina Public Library. 

The pilot would track just how often the facility is used, whether or not it attracted "undesirable behaviour" and the frequency and cost necessary to maintain the washroom to an acceptable standard.

Coun. Andrew Stevens said any illicit activities are already occurring downtown and will continue to happen.

"I do understand all the things that do go on at night, and during the day, and in the morning because friends of mine used to work for the city," Coun. Flegel said. "And they were the needle pickers, condom pickers at 6:00 a.m. in the morning, prior to everybody else getting to work."

Flegel asked about a cheaper alternative such as putting up a small row of portable toilets on either end of Victoria Park but discussion from other members of the committee indicated it would be unsightly and not within enhancing the look and vibrancy of the downtown area.

In the end, Flegel said he is OK with committing to spend the money for the pilot project but he said council already knows what will be the result. 

"We're going to come up with the same recommendations and same rhetoric that all the other cities have gone through and then we're gonna decide from there what to do."