By Kate Bouey

Councillor pushes for 24-hour access to public toilets

Feb 25, 2020 | 11:46 AM

Vernon city councillor Kelly Fehr says 24-hour access to public toilets remains a priority for the city.

Fehr brought up the matter during Monday’s council meeting after receiving yet another complaint from a local business owner about human feces outside their premises.

“It’s obviously still an issue. People that don’t have bathrooms are going to use the outside,” Fehr stated.

Speaking to Vernon Matters later, Fehr said 24/7 access to toilets was a must.

“It needs to happen. There are people in Vernon who need to use the bathroom at night, and [the city has] the ability to do that with our existing bathrooms and we need to have a serious look at that.”

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The administration is currently reviewing the ongoing maintenance and security costs for 24/7 access but Operations Services Director Shirley Koenig told council the figures won’t be known until all planned downtown washrooms are up and running.

They include two toilets slated to sit near the transit exchange on 31st Avenue.

Koenig said the contractor had a design issue but she expects work to start in the next few weeks.

A washroom on 30th Avenue near the old Safeway is operating but closes to the public each evening.

by Kate Bouey

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