Victoria City Council is set to vote on a new public washroom, which has been proposed for near the corner of Broughton Street and Douglas Street, later this week.
During a Committee of the Whole scheduled for Thursday, the City will be seeking approval from Council for the facility concept and proposed location on the south side of Broughton Street — adjacent to the 900-block of Douglas.
Over the past year, the City has completed the technical analysis, schematic design, and stakeholder engagement which informed the proposed location and now awaits a vote from Council to move forward with the project.
The plans for the prefabricated unit are similar to the one currently located on Langley Street, which opened downtown in 2012. According to the City, the dubbed “Langley Loo” sees an average of 500 visits per day.
The City says the new location will allow for a similar structure that is universally accessible, safe and requires minimal maintenance.
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The design features include space for wheelchair access, an oversized entry door, accessible fixtures, sharps disposal container, and louvred wall panels that allow attendants to communicate with users without compromising privacy.
The City also believes that the proposed location’s proximity to Douglas Street makes for easy wayfinding for tourists and patrons of local businesses, requiring minimal signage to identify the facility.
Part of the proposal includes siting the public washroom on a new curb bulge into Broughton Street and will result in sidewalk upgrades in the area as well. This will result in the removal of two on-street parking stalls and the conversion of a third to an accessible parking stall.
If approved, the new washroom is anticipated to open in the fall of 2022.
Graham Cox
