This week, the City of Toronto completed activating and opening 122 seasonal park washroom buildings to the public, including the drinking water fountains and bottle filling stations connected to them. Including year-round washrooms, a total of 174 park washrooms are now open to the public. This marks the earliest-ever spring opening of seasonal washrooms in Toronto.
The City budgets more than $180 million annually for all maintenance, staffing and operation of approximately 1,500 parks, including the opening and maintenance of seasonal park washrooms. In 2023, the City’s budget included an additional $2.8 million in new investment to ensure seasonal washrooms and drinking fountains in parks open as soon as spring weather conditions permit and stay open later in the fall.
Six additional seasonal park washrooms remain closed for repairs or planned construction and will open as soon as possible this season. Staff continue to monitor and plan for overnight frost conditions and any potential impacts it may have on seasonal washroom infrastructure.
The City continues to accelerate this spring’s opening of seasonal park drinking fountains and is working to open approximately 750 standalone drinking water fountains and bottle filling stations in parks to the public by May 26.
Residents and visitors can learn more about the daily status of washrooms, drinking fountains, bottle fillers and dog fountains on the City’s new Park Washrooms webpage: www.toronto.ca/ParkWashrooms.
The City is coordinating tasks required to open more than 2,000 water facilities in parks, including splash and spray pads, outdoor pools and wading pools, ornamental fountains and community and allotment gardens and irrigation systems. These activities typically take place throughout May and are completed by mid- to late-June.
Many of the same crews and staff that open washrooms and water fountains are also responsible for activating splash and spray pads. Splash and spray pads will be turned on by May 20.
Key opening dates
• Friday, May 5: Completed opening of most seasonal park washrooms and attached water fountains and bottle stations. Six additional seasonal park washrooms remain closed for repairs or planned construction and will open as soon as possible this season.
• By Saturday, May 20: Splash and spray pads open
• By Friday, May 26: All remaining standalone water fountains (more than 700) and bottle filling stations in City parks open; all fountains are tested for water potability when they are activated
• Saturday, June 17: Ten outdoor pools open on an evening and weekend partial schedule
• Saturday, June 24: Remaining 49 outdoor pools open on an evening and weekend partial schedule
• Friday, June 30: All wading pools open and available outdoor pools open on full schedule
Quote:
“Extending the availability of our seasonal park washrooms is key to ensuring Toronto residents get the most out of their parks. Thank you to City staff who have been out in the field daily since mid-April, working hard to open washrooms and drinking water fountains in record time. Their efforts help ensure we can all fully enjoy our parks as early in the year as possible.”
– Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
SOURCE City of Toronto
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