City Council · September 24, 2024 · Item 7.3
Inclusion of appropriate underground infrastructure to facilitate the installation of self-cleaning…
Main motion under the agenda item Improving Access to Public Washrooms in Guelph - 2024-347
Carried (12 to 0)
12 in favour, 0 against — unanimous
What was voted on
The motion in its exact words, as recorded in the minutes.
That the inclusion of appropriate underground infrastructure to facilitate the installation of self-cleaning, autonomous prefabricated public washroom structures be incorporated for each phase of the Downtown Infrastructure Renewal Program, including the design of St. George’s Square, as appropriate. That staff work with the Downtown Guelph Business Association to explore opportunities to provide public access to washrooms through a “Community Toilet Scheme.” That portable washrooms continue to be used to expand access to washrooms in public spaces until permanent facilities are provided. That staff continue to explore opportunities to make new and existing permanent washroom facilities in parks and other locations available during all seasons as these facilities are constructed, modified or upgraded. That staff incorporate public washroom locations into the City’s wayfinding strategy. That the inclusion of accessible and gender-neutral options be prioritized for new, modified or upgraded public washroom facilities. That the provision of publicly accessible washrooms be considered during the planning of future capital projects in order to continuously expand the City’s network of public washrooms. That staff include the installation of a self-cleaning public washroom as part of the Wyndham St./ St. George's Square redevelopment, subject to budget adoption through the 2025 budget confirmation. That staff explore incorporation of a drinking water fountain/water refill station as part of any future self-cleaning public washroom provided in downtown or as part of any constructed, modified or upgraded permanent washroom facilities in city-owned parks and, that in the interim, it explore temporary solutions for the provision of drinking-water fountains, subject to consultation with Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health and subject to budget adoption through the appropriate future budget confirmation. That staff be directed to discuss an innovation opportunity with the University of Guelph to design a fluid alternative to the current perfumed options for portable toilets to increase the accessibility of these options, and report back to council.
Moved by Councillor O'Rourke, seconded by Councillor Caron.
How the room voted
In favour (12)
- Billings
- Busuttil
- Caron
- Caton
- Chew
- Downer
- Gibson
- Goller
- Guthrie
- Klassen
- O'Rourke
- Richardson
Who spoke to it
The following delegates spoke: Morgan Dandie
What council was given
The staff reports and correspondence attached to this item. The summaries are written automatically, so you can tell what a document is without opening a ninety-page PDF.
- Improving Access to Public Washrooms in Guelph - 2024-347.pdf
Following a Guelph Lab study on public urination and lack of facilities downtown, staff ask Council to approve seven steps on public washrooms: build underground servicing for self-cleaning prefabricated washrooms into each phase of the downtown rebuild including St. George's Square, explore a business-based "community toilet scheme" with the downtown business association, keep using portable toilets meanwhile, open park washrooms year-round where possible, and add washrooms to wayfinding signage.
- SomewhereToGo_17May'24_AODA_Edited.pdf
- Correspondence - Susan Watson.pdf
- Correspondence - jj Salman.pdf
A summary is this site’s description of a document, not the City’s. Open the document before relying on one.
What was said
531 words from the meeting recording, transcribed automatically. Times are from the start of the recording.
Read the debate(click to open)
53:38moving to the next delegation an item I'm improving access to public washrooms in Guelph again Morgan
53:43dandy will come up and again you know the drill Morgan so I'll turn the mic over to you
53:50and you can begin when you're ready thank you just really quickly want to say thank you so much
53:59to everyone that has worked on the motions for this myself and others have advocated for equitable
54:09access to washrooms and drinking water especially in the downtown as someone that spends
54:16time downtown especially after 7 p.m. I know how hard it is to not have money and have to go to the
54:26washroom or maybe want to have your water filled up I've also spent time on the hottest days this
54:35summer downtown distributing water to anyone and everyone be it two-legged or four-legged
54:43to ensure that there is some access to water outside downtown because currently
54:52there's not much basically there's the frog and I don't know very many people that want to drink
54:59from the frog so I am very appreciative of all of the work that has been put into these motions
55:09I'm happy that council sees the need for this to be incorporated into the downtown renewal
55:18and I look forward to being able to access a bathroom anytime I'm in the downtown for thank you
55:28thank you is there any follow-up questions at all seeing none thank you so much
55:35all right would somebody be willing to move all of those motions all 10
55:41auror and I'll go to the screen Koran sorry Richardson I'll go to you Richardson for adjournment
55:48okay just so you don't feel left out so Koran will second that and is there anything more on that
55:55before I go call the vote okay auror yeah thanks mega three I was just at the basic needs working
56:02group this week so I have quick question around the timing so some of these motions are for the
56:10downtown streetscapes when it's all rebuilt and beautiful and others are in the interim questions
56:17so I'm looking at number three portable washrooms continue to be used to expand access to washrooms
56:22in public places until permanent facilities are provided number four is also continuing to look
56:29at use of washrooms in parks and other locations and then number nine is access to water so I'm just
56:36wondering uh through you margaret three of staff have an idea on process and timeline for those
56:43and if it's not now can can there be an undertaking just to get back to me so that I can report back
56:50I'm through the chair to council or work that is something on our mind we have had some initial
56:53discussions on that but I think I'd like to get back to you if that's okay we can send an email
56:58to mayor and council just to confirm great I'd appreciate that great thank you anything further
57:05on that no okay I'll call the vote on that is there anyone against all of the improving access to
57:13public washrooms motions nope okay that's also unanimous as well bylaws we have a few of those
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The motion, the vote and the debate come from the City of Guelph’s published record, reproduced rather than interpreted. The document summaries above are the exception: those words were written for this site.