Edmonton to put open-air urinals near Whyte Ave.
Last Updated: Saturday, June 30, 2007 | 1:21 PM MT
CBC News
Edmonton plans to put freestanding public urinals near Whyte Avenue at night to give drunken revellers a place to relieve themselves along the popular nightclub stretch.
The area has been plagued with rowdy behaviour for years, particularly on summer weekends and holidays. Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel says local residents are fed up.
"If you live on Whyte Ave., if you live in the area, you find out little boys have not been good little boys," said Mandel. "So hopefully this will have little boys go to where they need to go."
Several European cities use the plastic, open-air urinals. The urinals have no doors and provide very limited privacy, leading some to question their usefulness.
However, Mandel says he supports anything that will address the problem.
"I think it's a good idea," said Mandel of the urinals.
The temporary urinals will be put out at night and taken off the streets by morning.
As part of its crackdown on nuisance complaints, the city has also doubled its fines for urinating in public to $500.
