A new washroom amenity building for Nanaimo's Maffeo Sutton Park is currently in the design stage, with plans to double the park's washroom capacity. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

new public washrooms

‘Worthy of being in this area:’ new washroom planned for Nanaimo’s Maffeo Sutton Park

Sep 16, 2024 | 12:07 PM

NANAIMO — Some changes are in the works to increase the number of public washrooms at one of the city’s most popular public parks.

A brand new washroom amenity building at Maffeo Sutton Park was discussed during a Wednesday, Sept. 11 advisory committee on accessibility and inclusiveness, which heard plans to double the number of public washrooms while making them more inclusive.

Senior project manager Michael Lonsdale said the goal is to provide one of the busiest parks in the city with a “high-quality public amenity” featuring inclusive and accessible elements.

“We want to establish a distinctive and memorial building. This is one of Nanaimo’s premier parks, it’s an absolute destination and gem in our area, and we want to make sure that the space that’s being taken up by this washroom…the washroom is worthy of being in this area.”

The new design features 10 universal washroom stalls, including two which will be wheelchair accessible. A separate space for gendered washrooms when hosting large events in the park is also planned.

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Public art will also be included, but the changes will be limited to the new building only, expected to be located closer to the Lions Pavillion.

Lonsdale said this new project will eventually replace the existing washrooms at the park.

“As part of the work that we’re doing right now, we’re evaluating: Do we want to do some renovations to those existing washrooms and keep them going? Should that get converted into more operational space? Does it make sense to hold to them at all?”

New public art is also planned to be featured in the amenity buildings new design. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Questions from the accessibility committee included ensuring there are adjustable changing stations, being able to utilize them as change rooms, handrails and other devices to aid those with mobility issues, and proper signage so those with visual impairments know how and where to access them.

Lonsdale said portable toilets would be added to the designated additional gendered washroom space, and would be used during high-traffic events, such as the Canada Day celebrations.

“For day-to-day stuff… it would be those ungendered spaces you would go and be able to use. The high-use ones that you’re asking about are going to be significantly smaller, they’re not going to be as nice as the ones we use day-to-day, and it would just be to get that high-throughput.”

Currently, the washroom building at Maffeo Sutton Park contains a male side with two stalls and two urinals, and three stalls on the women’s side.

There is also a single-stall outhouse near the playground.

A final design of the project is still being finalized and will be presented to the accessibility advisory committee again before shovels go into the ground, which is expected sometime next year.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNOW