All-hours restroom a Loo-ng time coming
Following a sustained effort from a local official, Cincinnati will open its first 24-hour restroom in June.
Willie Carden, director of Cincinnati parks, has been championing the unusual idea for two years. The city council considered and rejected back then, but a recent rethink has seen Carden’s persistence pay off.
The ‘Portland Loo’, which gets its name from the Oregon city that first popularized them, will be installed at the Smale Riverfront Park. If the first one is successful, others could be in the works. They are viewed as a humane method to provide the homeless with restrooms that are always available.
Chris Seelbach, a city councilman, is also in favor of the Portland Loos. He sees them as solving a problem that cannot be ignored. Seelbach, who is happy with the Portland Loo, is planning an event he calls the ‘First Flush’.
The Loos are solar-powered, free-standing, open-air bathrooms that are graffiti-proof as well. They have no mirrors, and a spigot on the outside of the bathroom is the only access to water. They are also open at the bottom and top. Each one costs between $90,000-$100,000, along with the costs of installation and maintenance, shipping, and prepping the site.
Cincinnati officials could work with a flyer printing company on a mailer for residents announcing the new restroom and any future installations.
Willie Carden, director of Cincinnati parks, has been championing the unusual idea for two years. The city council considered and rejected back then, but a recent rethink has seen Carden’s persistence pay off.
The ‘Portland Loo’, which gets its name from the Oregon city that first popularized them, will be installed at the Smale Riverfront Park. If the first one is successful, others could be in the works. They are viewed as a humane method to provide the homeless with restrooms that are always available.
Chris Seelbach, a city councilman, is also in favor of the Portland Loos. He sees them as solving a problem that cannot be ignored. Seelbach, who is happy with the Portland Loo, is planning an event he calls the ‘First Flush’.
The Loos are solar-powered, free-standing, open-air bathrooms that are graffiti-proof as well. They have no mirrors, and a spigot on the outside of the bathroom is the only access to water. They are also open at the bottom and top. Each one costs between $90,000-$100,000, along with the costs of installation and maintenance, shipping, and prepping the site.
Cincinnati officials could work with a flyer printing company on a mailer for residents announcing the new restroom and any future installations.