Penticton is trying to make public washrooms ‘bullet-proof’

Penticton City Council will consider a number of ways to ‘bullet-proof’ the city’s public washroom facilities.

The city has been dealing with vandalism and damage to its public washroom facilities for some time, and a committee spent has been looking for ways to ‘fortify' the installations and reduce vandalism.

The committee has come forward with seven recommendations, including replacing porcelain fixtures with steel as replacement is necessary, support for a pilot project involving private investment to take over a washroom with a commercial component, and investigating the 'Portland Loo' style for any new washrooms installed or replacement washrooms.

The Portland Loo style is a name given to a unitary public toilet designed by the city of Portland, Oregon.

The committee is also recommending continuing with the present program of using gates and puck locks and would also like council to consider gates on downtown breezeways that could be shut during the evenings.

A pilot program using the Paid Employment for People with Lived Experience Kelowna community team to assist in washroom security is also part of the recommendations, along with discussions with other communities to develop further ideas.

The committee's recommendations will come before council at tomorrow’s regular meeting, Nov. 3.

Penticton City Council will be asked to consider a ‘Portland Loo’ style of public washroom as future replacements become necessary at tomorrow’s regular council meeting, Nov.3, 2020. | Credit: SUBMITTED / Wikimedia Commons

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