Saskatoon council to fund public bathrooms in Riversdale and Pleasant Hill

Saskatoon City Council has voted unanimously to fund public bathrooms and drinking water fountains over the summer and fall in Pleasant Hill and Riversdale.

Pamela Goulden-McLeod, the city’s director of emergency management, offered recommendations including staffing one riverbank washroom location in the Riversdale area and buying a used trailer with two bathrooms, urinals, and sinks for the summer and fall, with a total price tag of $700,000.

“These recommendations are not made easily, knowing this is significant financial impact for a very short period of time,” Goulden-McLeod told council.

“This is a critical need in this area and the recommendations are the best option in the short term.”

Goulden-McLeod described areas near 20th Street West and Avenue P where homeless encampments have been concentrated. She said the closure of the overnight warming centre at St. Mary’s Church and adjusted hours at public libraries and Prairie Harm Reduction, along with other factors, have contributed to a dire need for access to public bathrooms.

Two community partners have come forward and expressed interest in working with the city to provide a location for the washroom trailer, and also to work with the city to keep a riverbank washroom open.

“Both organizations have requested these offers remain confidential until there’s final direction from city council,” noted Goulden-McLeod.

Several community partners and citizens also made presentations on the issue, including Gordon Taylor with the Salvation Army Crossroads, who also described the urgent need for the public bathrooms.

He also offered some advice and words of caution to the city about his experience helping to run the warming shelter over the winter.

“We’re blown away at St. Mary’s with the amount of time and money that needed to be spent on plumbing and repairs of the washrooms there throughout the winter,” he said, adding that a small number of people continually caused damage.

“Imagine the worst possible scenario in a washroom you can imagine, and it’s often worse than that. So those are the type of things to keep in mind as well. Just a bit of a reality check.”

Mayor Charlie Clark said that over the last month, the city has had to change the way some things are done to try and meet the basic needs of those who are homeless.

“It’s not ideal,” the mayor said. “It’s a lot of money for a temporary solution, but it’s what we need to do now.”

Council also committed $50,000 in funding for misting tents and three new water bottle filling stations to help keep people cool, along with the distribution of water bottles for those in need over the summer.

Ward 6’s Cynthia Block also moved that administration report back to council to discuss options for 24/7 public bathroom access year round, and to include the cost in time for the city’s 2025 budget deliberations.