Downtown public washrooms (photo/City of Vernon)

By Kevin Rothwell

Not the intended use

Public washrooms are being ‘misused’

Jan 12, 2021 | 1:14 PM

One Vernon councillor feels it’s time to review whether public washrooms in Vernon’s downtown should be open 24/7, after residents discovered people might be using them for overnight shelter.

“I know we are seeing a lot of vandalism on these public washrooms,” Coun. Dalvir Nahal said.

When the new washrooms were first installed in the fall of 2019 they were only open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Council later adjusted that policy, for public health reasons, as council voted in spring 2020 to have them available 24 hours a day.

Nahal received an email from a couple who were walking downtown and needed the restrooms.

“This was about 7 a.m. and they couldn’t get in, and they were sure there was more than one person in that bathroom,” Nahal said. “These washrooms are intended for everyone, and if they are being misused, maybe it’s time to rethink having them open 24/7.”

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Staff have been asked to report back with the following information:

• What hours is the vandalism happening?
• How much is the city spending on upkeep of the washrooms annually?
• How much extra is the vandalism costing the city?
• What staff recommends for opening and closing hours in conjunction with bylaw shifts?

A budget item during the 2021 budget deliberations indicated the cleaning contract for the public restrooms would be around $70,000. A report is expected back to council January 25.