*FEATUREDNEWS

Parks washrooms opening this week and next

City staff must know what’s it’s like to be enjoying Toronto’s parks and having to use the, uh, facilities, only to find them locked.

That may be why the city is making a push to open the parks washrooms this week and next, as announced today.

About 50 washroom sites across town are being opened by June 6, after the go-ahead was received from the province, a press release said. (See list below for local sites.)

The rest of the 200, or so, parks washrooms are to follow suit by mid-June.

Mayor John Tory hailed the move.

“Things we have taken for granted have been taken away and are now slowly returning,” he said. “The reopening steps we are taking here are deliberate and meaningful, as washrooms are an important public facility.”

Water fountains and bottle-filling stations in the parks may also open if the city an meet the daily cleaning and disinfection recommendations from Toronto Public Health.

Park visitors will still have to maintain physical distance in the washrooms and in lines, and are urged to wear masks, especially when physical distancing is difficult. They should also, of course, wash their hands carefully and use available hand sanitizers.

Here are some of the parks in local areas where washrooms are scheduled to open this week:

  • Christie Pits Park — Sid Smith A.I.R. Building
  • Edwards Gardens — concession and service building, and washroom
  • Riverdale Park — east and west washroom buildings
  • Sunnybrook Park
  • Wilket Creek Park – washroom and maintenance building
  • Withrow Park — north and south washroom buildings

Portable toilets are also set up at Jimmie Simpson Park and outside the Wellesley Community Centre.