Interim public toilet comes to Downtown New West

A public toilet is coming to Downtown New West—but it'll only be a temporary solution as the city waits for the installation of a permanent one.

On Wednesday, the city said a public toilet could now be found on Front Street, in the former Army and Navy parking lot. It will be supervised 24 hours a day by an attendant.

The permanent, free-standing public toilet will be installed in Hyack Square; construction is slated to begin this fall. At December's council meeting, staff said there would be two portable toilet trailers installed in the meantime—one along Front Street and one in Hyack Square—the status of the latter hasn't been made public.

As is the case with the interim facility, the permanent one will also have an attendant to manage risk.

Staff have also requested a public toilet annual operating budget in the city's 2023 budget.

The interim toilet was funded through a combination of grants and the existing budget. Local not-for-profit Purpose Society assisted with its installation.

New Westminster will also be working with a specialized waste removal company to get rid of biohazardous waste on streets, sidewalks, and plantings. Businesses that wish to participate can also have waste removed from their alcoves and entryways.

The cost to build a toilet in Hyack Square is currently estimated at $650,000. However, there have long been discussions about how difficult it is for people to access a public washroom, especially in the Downtown core. Hyack Square was one of five locations initially looked at by city staff.

As was the case during last December's council meeting, Mayor Patrick Johnstone on Wednesday underscored the need for people in the area to be able to access public toilets.

The initiative is part of the city's Downtown Livability Strategy. One of the areas of focus includes cleanliness and 24-hour public toilets. New West is also working with UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning on the development of a public washroom strategy that will guide planning for similar facilities in other parts of the city.

The area has seen a number of challenges related to cleanliness, including litter and a lack of access to toilets. During the mid-December council meeting, staff noted businesses had shared concerns around increasing public drug use, intoxication, and more camping and squatting.

Currently, the city says people can access washrooms during operating hours at Westminster Pier Park, Quayside Park, and Anvil Centre, and 24 hours a day at the police station on 6th and Columbia streets.