The new permanent toilet for the Ballard Commons Park is currently on backorder, and won’t be installed until sometime this fall.
The $550,000 Portland Loo is being installed because a public restroom is required within 100 feet of a water feature — in this case, the spray park.
The loo is designed to be graffiti-resistant, has angled slats that make it partially open-air, which is meant to discourage drug use. It has solar-powered lights, and an outdoor hand wash station.
Rachel Schulkin from Seattle Parks and Recreation tells My Ballard that they have a temporary portapotty on site to meet their obligation for handwashing.
Meanwhile, fences are still up at the park as crews work to prepare the site for the installation.
![](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-My-Ballard-Tile-Ad-Troop-100.png")
So let’s rip up the park for an install that won’t be happening anytime soon? And if junkies are willing to just sit in front of the library and shoot up — which I have watched with my own eyes more than once — we think slats in a toilet will discourage them? I’m glad we’re installing a toilet, but how many ways can this city mess it up, and how many ways can they delude themselves it will discourage drug use? Good lord…
So the public should not have a public restroom because…you saw someone doing drugs somewhere else?
Nice try. I’ll try to help you.
* His concern is with people who say slats will discourage drug use. His experience with visible drug use in the area is that slats will not be an effective deterrent and to sell it to the public as if they would is disingenuous at best.
* “I’m glad we’re installing a toilet” means that he believes the public should have a restroom.
Sometimes your critiques of extreme views are interesting and on target. And sometimes you just try too hard.
So, do you have some inside info or facts that shows this backorder issue is on the the city? You are glad “we” are installing a toilet, “but” you must have some magical, better idea of what to do and how not to mess it up? I am grateful some people trying something to resolve a complicated issue we are facing, and not just whining and complaining on the internet like yourself.
Hey, that’s funny! By the time the toilet is ready, it’ll probably be post-water park season! Does this mean the kids can’t use the water park right now? No? Oh, well then, let’s just admit we’re paying half a million not for the convenience of the patrons, but for the junkies who’ve taken over the commons.
Is the military involved here? Because I thought the days of $700 toilets and $500.00 FANCY toilets were over? OMG people this IS grand theft, right in our faces. All for what again, junkies? Why the hell are catering to the lowest common denominators, who put NOTHING back into the kettle??? For God’s sakes, we can’t rid ourselves of this infestation of political RATS soon enough.
I’d like to see your bid quote to furnish, install and hookup a public restroom. I deal with construction as my job and $550,000 only raises eyebrows of those who know absolutely nothing about construction and construction costs. So thanks for demonstrating that.
Also, there/s the $700 billion/year military budget or the looming $1 trillion deficit, but you’re worried about the cost of a public restroom that will actually be of use to the greater public? Glad to see you have your priorities in order!
See? Much better than above. Keep doing it like this.
Gosh you’re just super helpful!
The “lowest common denominators” as you call them are the parasites at the TOP of our society—those who take and take and give nothing back. The reason we have great poverty is because we have great concentrations of wealth.