Halifax council addresses 'dearth of public washrooms'

A proposal to add public washrooms in Halifax parks caught the ear of several councillors when the parks and recreation division outlined their proposed budget for next year.

Managers presented their proposal at city hall on Wednesday.

Gloria McCluskey wants one for the Dartmouth Commons with its community oven.

"We really need washroom facilities down there," she said.

Coun. Jennifer Watts would also like to see water fountains added to the public washroom facilities.

"I think this is becoming a growing reality for us. I've heard this for a number of year but I think in terms of people's quality of experience in their public parks and where we want to be supporting people engaging in the natural environment, being outside," she said.

"We have to support them as families in being able to do that. And washrooms are a key thing."

It's an idea city manager Brad Anguish can get behind.

"There's an absolute dearth of public washrooms in our parks — no two doubts about that — the question is where do we go first and how fast?" he said.

Once the strategy is ready, regional council will decide how many washrooms will be built and which parks will get them first.

Have to go? Here's a map of where the public washrooms in the Halifax region are now.