City plunging ahead with 24-7 washroom

The City of Brandon will build a new 24-7 public washroom downtown at the site of the Transit Information Centre.

The vandal-proof washroom is projected to cost $335,000, with the total cost of the project — including demolition and construction — pegged at $529,000.

Council voted in favour of the project at Saturday’s budget meeting after a lengthy discussion. The spending did not affect the city’s budget increase as it will be drawn from previously funded reserves.

“The organizations that sit on the Community Wellness Collaborative are unanimous that we need a 24-7 washroom four years ago,” Ward 2 Coun. Kris Desjarlais said at the meeting.

“I don’t want to get into the fact that there’s people defecating on the sidewalks, but we know that that happens,” said Desjarlais, whose ward covers the city’s downtown.

He said some people are struggling with serious problems and mental health issues, and a 24-7 washroom could help mitigate the challenges they face.

Mayor Jeff Fawcett said the plan is for the building to be self-cleaning and damage-proof, which is the reason for the high cost.

“Bottom line is, we want to have availability of (a) 24-7 washroom for people downtown, somehow, somewhere. This is what we have in the budget,” he told the Sun.

Staff currently working at the Transit Information Centre at 21 Eighth St. will move into a nearby building, Fawcett said.

Coun. Bruce Luebke (Ward 6) initially moved to defer the project to next year, as recommended by administration, but ended up voting against his own motion.

He said he would typically not want to defer the project again this year, since it had first been recommended by a task force in 2022. But, he added, there was some indication that the provincial government was looking to build a 24-7 shelter with the city. If that project were to happen this year, the washroom might not be “money well spent,” he said.

Coun. Greg Hildebrand was the only councillor to vote in favour of deferring the project.

“If we could defer this to 2043, I would vote in favour of that as well,” he said.

Hildebrand said the city needs to make sure it does its research before the washroom gets built.

“We need to make sure we know what we’re getting into with this structure. I will vote against this project any chance I can,” Hildebrand (Ward 5) said.

“If we’re not going to make it out of cinderblocks and stainless-steel toilets, I’m not in favour of it,” he added.

“We need to look for a better solution.”

Desjarlais said no amount of conversations with the province will convince him that a warming shelter will be built later this year.

He said it’s time for council to support the project now, as costs to build it would likely only rise.

He also said the city “dropped the ball” with the current washroom facilities at Princess Park, which are open during the day, and that council needs to correct that mistake.

Coun. Tyson Tame (Ward 10) agreed with Desjarlais, adding that business owners in the downtown shouldn’t be forced to allow people to come into their premises just to use the washrooms because people don’t have another option.

He said while a couple of councillors mentioned getting it right as a reason to defer it, there has already been a lot of time spent on doing research.

“For me, this is of critical nature, not a nice to have,” Tame said.

City spokesperson Merrilea Metcalf said in an email that the city will now prepare tender documents before a final review and requirements are presented to council, likely next month.

Currently, the city maintains two washroom facilities at Princess Park, of which only one is open. The second facility serves as a backup that would open if needed, Metcalf said.

Fawcett said those washrooms won’t be affected by council’s vote, though there are plans to upgrade them with more durable toilets and new piping.

» alambert@brandonsun.com