Shoreline going ahead with the fancy public bathroom experiment
Jul 17, 2019, 2:00 PM
Seattle's public bathroom plan was nixed after they became popular for drug use and even prostitution. (AP)
(AP)
Installing public toilets in the Seattle area has long been a bit difficult. In 2004, the city installed million dollar, high-tech toilets around numerous locations in Seattle, but they were shut down due to complaints of drug use and malfunctions, and were later sold on Ebay for $12,500.
Shoreline is hoping to succeed where Seattle failed and is planning to install their own fancy toilet at Echo Lake Park, where the bathrooms have seen much criminal activity, and were ultimately damaged by fire, necessitating this upgrade, reports Patch.
Seattle should bring back public bathrooms
“The existing restroom facility at Echo Lake Park has experienced severe societal issues, including vandalism and criminal activity. The restroom has also been closed due to fire damage,” a city council memo noted.
Officials will spend $115,607 on the notorious Portland Loo, a fancy, stainless steel contraption that is difficult to damage, easy to clean, and has open areas at the top and bottom to discourage drug activity and prostitution. Not that people won’t find a way.
In Ballard, construction has begun on a Portland Loo at Ballard Commons, though in this case the fancy toilet is being installed because a restroom is required within 100 feet of a water installation, like the spray park on the site.
Along with the Northwest, there are Portland Loos in numerous cities across the country, in case you’re looking for a place to go the bathroom, or a place to avoid going the bathroom.
