Highway 401 travellers fill tiny town's toilets
Last Updated: Monday, October 26, 2009 | 10:24 AM ET
CBC News
Weary travellers in desperate need of washroom facilities have been flooding into a small town off Highway 401 ever since Ontario closed many of its highway service centres for renovations, residents of Mallorytown complain.
Jim Garrah, who works in the kitchen of Sue's Place, one of only two restaurants in the town of less than 1,000, said most businesses in the community operate on septic tile beds and can't handle the extra load.
"It backs up the systems and it's extra costs," he said.
Since facilities on either side of the highway west of Brockville, Ont., closed last month, droves of motorists have been pulling into Mallorytown, about 20 kilometres to the west.
Ontario announced in August that it had contracted Host Kilmer Service Centres Inc. to upgrade 20 of its 23 service centres along Highway 400 and 401 over a 36-month period. As of late October, just one remained open along a 350-kilometre stretch of Highway 401 between Newcastle, just outside Toronto, and the interprovincial boundary with Quebec. That service station is just west of Kingston.
In Mallorytown, travellers haven't just been stopping at local restaurants. Local resident Al Clements said some have even been knocking on the doors of private homes in search of a washroom.
They're also surging into the municipal office and the library, which aren't equipped to handle them either, said Roger Haley, reeve of Front of Yonge Township, which includes Mallorytown.
"They're not rest stops," he said, adding that both motorists and residents of local rural villages have been inconvenienced by the service station closures.
Local politicians had lobbied against the closures for months.
Gary Steacy, who works for a Mallorytown company just minutes off the highway, said toilets aren't the only resource in short supply since the closures — many people are also having trouble finding gas.
He offers a gallon to those facing a flashing light on their instrument panel warning them their tank is empty.
"They offer you money but you gotta be human about it. People need help," Steacy said. He added that Ontario needs to step up the pace of its service-centre upgrades.
"If they're gonna rebuild the service centres, let's get building them."
Ontario estimates more than 400,000 drivers travel Highway 401 and up to 195,000 motorists use Highway 400 each day.
