In a recent city council meeting, a motion by Coun. Heather Eby was unanimously passed to explore options for additional public washrooms in Moose Jaw’s downtown core.
The motion directs city administration to prepare a report detailing potential public washroom facilities, including financial impacts and possible funding sources.
Eby introduced the motion, stating that the need for public washrooms was first highlighted during a public meeting on July 29, which focused on public safety and homelessness.
She emphasized that the necessity for such facilities has become increasingly evident over the past few months.
"Many businesses now have signs up that their washrooms are for patrons only, which I totally understand. There are people who have abused the privilege of public washrooms in businesses, and I do not blame businesses one iota for closing those to anyone who is not doing business there,” Eby explained.
Eby also highlighted the plight of the unhoused, who often have no choice but to relieve themselves in public spaces. She described this situation as “humiliating” for the unhoused, “disgusting” for property owners, and “distasteful” for the general public.
The core of Eby’s motion is to provide the newly elected city council with potential options for addressing this issue.
She expressed her preference against a “comfort station” like the one in Crescent Park or a stand-alone building that could be misused. Instead, she suggested the possibility of strategically placed port-a-potties that would not be eyesores and would alleviate the burden on downtown businesses and residents.
"This isn’t a pleasant conversation. No one wants to talk about it but it’s definitely something that is happening, we are all aware of it, and I would just hope that my colleagues would support this to move forward and, of course, then it will be up to the new council to do what they decide what they wish with whatever report may come forward,” Eby said.
Coun. Dawn Luhning supported the motion, commending Eby for effectively articulating the need for public washrooms in the downtown area.
Coun. Froese also expressed interest in seeing the location options and hoped for consultation with downtown businesses.
"I know it has been a burden on some of the businesses as well. I, too, have seen signs up but other cities have public washrooms that are open in their downtown core for obvious reasons,” Froese noted.
Coun. Doug Blanc pointed out that while there are public washrooms on the main floor of the police station, people might be reluctant to use them for various reasons. He confirmed with City Manager Maryse Carmichael that the washrooms on the main floor of city hall would also be available for public use. However, Blanc was open to exploring additional options in other locations.
Coun. Kim Robinson supported the motion but stressed the importance of including ongoing maintenance costs in the report. He mentioned that other cities have encountered significant safety issues with public washrooms and emphasized the need for a comprehensive report that includes worst-case scenarios.
The motion was passed unanimously, marking a significant step towards addressing the need for public washrooms in Moose Jaw’s downtown core.