ELORA – By public toilet standards, the new one in Elora’s Hoffer Park is pretty posh.
It’s wheelchair accessible; has anti-graffiti walls; the toilet, sink and hand dryer are all touch-free; and, most impressively, it’s self-cleaning.
It also came with a pretty posh price tag of $386,500, with $208,000 coming from the federal government’s Tourism Relief Fund and the balance of $177,900 from Centre Wellington.
The township held a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 28 to mark its official opening using a roll of toilet paper instead of ribbon.
Mayor Shawn Watters joked that while needed by residents and visitors alike, with all its bells and whistles, the washroom itself will become its own tourism destination.
Indeed, staff from other municipalities have visited the facility as they consider adding one in their own towns.
It was during COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions that the need for another public washroom in Elora became evident as restaurants could not allow visitors into their establishments and there were only a few public portable toilets throughout the village.
This one, in Hoffer Park behind the municipal office at MacDonald Square, is close to Victoria Park, the Elora Gorge trail and downtown shops.
“Accessible, clean bathrooms are an important feature of modern and vibrant communities,” states Filomena Tassi, minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, which provided some of the funding.
“The Government of Canada is pleased to support projects like this that help create more modern, safe and inclusive public spaces.”
The new washroom was designed by Quebec-based Urben Blu and is equipped with a state-of-the-art cleaning, disinfecting and drying system that guarantees a clean environment for users.
The washroom is fully automated and programmable for operating hours, cleaning cycles, occupancy times and sanitization.
In-floor heating means the washroom can be open year-round.
“This washroom was identified in our capital budget, and thanks to the Government of Canada’s Tourism Relief Fund, we were able to complete the project as dreamed,” Watters stated in a press release.
“This investment will enhance Hoffer Park and contribute to creating vibrant downtowns in Centre Wellington.”
After each use, the door to the washroom locks and it goes through a cleaning cycle.
Disinfectant is applied to the sink and toilet and water shoots across the floor.
Then strong vacuums suck up the water, the facility goes through a dry cycle, the door unlocks, and it’s ready for the next user.
Pat Newson, managing director of community services, said the washroom has been operational for a few weeks and has received positive reviews.
Some folks have trouble with the technology, however.
“We’ll probably add some signage to make it easier,” she said.
