PORT ANGELES – The City of Port Angeles is poised and ready to invest in new public restrooms, including a pilot program to test a 24-hour restroom in the downtown area.
Early in 2020, the old brick-and-mortar facility out at Ediz Hook near the Coast Guard gate will be replaced with a model just like the one installed at Erickson Playfield at a cost of $75,000. Parks and Recreation Director Corey Delikat says replacing the city’s old facilities has become a priority for the City Council, who have decided to replace one per year, including those at Elks Park, Shane Park and others.
The pilot program to test a 24-hour public restroom downtown will begin at the Gateway Center using a Portland Loo, designed by city staff in Portland, Oregon and spreading popularity nationwide. Port Townsend recently purchased three of them.
The Portland Loo doesn’t offer as much privacy as is usually expected in a public restroom because of the louvered grating at the top and bottom. Made of coated stainless steel, the loos are extremely durable and described as very difficult to vandalize.