New washroom facilities are planned for Maffeo Sutton Park, with current designs calling for a building immediately behind the Lions Pavillion and featuring fully accessible stalls. (Image Credit: Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

design stage

Gender-neutral, accessible washrooms progressing for Maffeo Sutton Park

Feb 19, 2026 | 12:06 PM

NANAIMO — Early concepts for a revamped washroom space at Maffeo Sutton Park are taking shape.

Universal stalls, surge washroom capacity, accessible facilities and amenities for families are all envisioned in preliminary designs, presented by City staff to the Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusiveness on Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Project manager James Knight said the triangular-shaped building would be situated immediately behind the Lions Pavillion.

“It’s very close to the waterfront walkway, which sees approximately 24,000 users a month during the summer. It’s close to the lions pavilion…there’s a green room included, so it can support events that are happening at the Lions Pavilion.”

The proposed design as of mid-February 2026, with feedback to be taken on board and used to refine the layout before the project proceeds. (Image Credit: City of Nanaimo)

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Gender-neutral, accessible washrooms progressing for Maffeo Sutton Park

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While the exact layout can, and likely will, change prior to shovels hitting the ground, the current layout calls for eight private washroom spaces with a toilet and sink in each.

Two would be fully accessible and include other amenities such as a lift, adult change table and other necessities for those with mobility and other challenges.

All would be accessed from the outside, in a similar fashion to the washroom complex in the park at Horseshoe Bay.

Additional gender-neutral washroom facilities would be unlocked on major event days, such as Canada Day, to handle increased capacity.

“They’re not going to be open every day, just for larger events at the park where the everyday washrooms don’t provide enough service. In the surge area, we have one accessible washroom and ten standard washrooms, and each of these washrooms has their own sink.”

Four urinals would also be installed in the room.

Designs also call for a green room for use by performers at the Lions Pavillion.

Placed along the Waterfront Walkway, the washroom build would replace the current facilities further to the south. (Image Credit: City of Nanaimo/Google Maps/NanaimoNewsNOW Illustration)

Staff were seeking feedback from the committee, which will be incorporated into designs before the project is presented to Council at a future meeting.

Once designs are firmed, a budget would be determined.

Committee members suggested tweaks to the layout of the accessible bathrooms, as well as the installation of lighting or more visible indicators on whether a stall is occupied.

Creation of a quiet room for people with sensory challenges was also pitched for a yet-to-be-decided flex space in the building.

Deputy director of parks Charlotte Davis said the new building increases washroom capacity by two over the current facility, with considerably more space on days when the surge room is unlocked.

She said this design, featuring individually segmented washroom stalls accessible from the outside of a building open up the possibility of extending operating hours in the park, which closes at 9 p.m. in the winter and 10 p.m. in the summer.

“Through well controlled access, we could potentially look to extend those hours, and that is quite exciting. However, with doing things like that, there are operational impacts and cost increases. We do intend to report back to Council in the future around what it will take to run this building with the highest standard that we’re getting here and those increased hours would be part of that.”

Davis noted staff monitoring of the building would be required to have the facilities open later.

Estimates suggest the project would be completed in 2028.

The City has made significant investments in washroom facilities at high-use parks in recent years.

A replacement/expansion project at Westwood Lake Park as part of numerous beachfront enhancements was done last year, and a new facility at Neck Point Park 2023.

The current washroom facility at Maffeo Sutton Park is undersized, especially during peak summer events and tourist traffic. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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