Yellowknife Rotary Club offers up $100K for a 24/7 public washroom downtown
'It's needed now and it can be done now,' says Rotary Club member Wayne Guy
The Rotary Club of Yellowknife is willing to contribute $100,000 to help Yellowknife get its first 24/7 public washroom.
Public washrooms are currently available at City Hall, the public library and Somba K'e Civic Plaza during business hours in the downtown core. But options are limited come nighttime.
"We see this as a now project," said Wayne Guy, a member of the Rotary Club, during a presentation at a Municipal Services Committee meeting Monday.
"It's needed now and it can be done now if the contribution agreements work out well."
In a meeting in September with Mayor Mark Heyck and other city officials, the Rotary Club requested that the city contribute $300,000 toward the project, and provide ongoing maintenance of the 24/7 washroom.
The club proposes to pay $50,000 in cash, and provide the other half through in-kind donations of services from two companies — Williams Engineering Canada and Guy Architects Ltd.
- Yellowknife to provide funding to businesses for sidewalk patios, public bathrooms
- Restaurateur calls on Yellowknife businesses to open washrooms to public
The proposed location is at the corner of 50th Avenue (Franklin Avenue) and 50th Street in the downtown core. The goal is to build the facility this summer.
The club proposed the facility should be "sculptural and diaphanous" — meaning you can see through it, but it's private, explained Guy.
"So that means no one's going to get mugged, or it will be easy to monitor the security of the place," he said.
Issue with the 50-50 location
Coun. Linda Bussey raised concerns about the proposed location of the washrooms, with the corner of Franklin and 50th Street — currently an unused parking lot beside Centre Square Mall — being a "key area" downtown.
"We're still discussing about developing that area and what's going to happen in the future on that corner," said Bussey, who also said she supports the partnership between the club and the city, but the location might need to be reconsidered.
Coun. Adrian Bell agreed.
"Perhaps that is a better use than a parking lot, but we have had quite a few discussions about other possible catalysts [amenities]," said Bell.
Council will discuss the proposal further, and decide whether or not they'll move forward with the partnership.
- More Yellowknife council news | Halt 'automatic raises' for City officials and council, says Yellowknife councillor
- Where is Yellowknife's Japanese style bakery?
With files from Jamie Malbeuf
Comments
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.