New Porta-Potties Installed For Williams Lake’s Vulnerable Population

Williams Lake residents may have noticed by now a couple of new editions in the City.

New Porta-Potties have been installed in Boitanio Park and at Spirit Square in the Lake City’s downtown.

“Based on the special Council meeting held on April 22^nd, staff proceeded to put a couple of these units in those locations for use for the vulnerable population.” Gary Muraca, Chief Administrative Officer for the City said.

Muraca also explained why they are chained down to cement blocks.

“Historically they tend to get tipped over and beat up so we wanted to ensure that they were strapped down against some of the activities we usually see around the park at night. We wanted to make sure that we squashed any chance that these Porta-Potties would be damaged or vandalized and create a big mess so we anchored them down so they wouldn’t be tipped over.”

Muraca said the one in Spirit Square was a key location as the City has a washroom there that was installed a few years ago because some of the people downtown we’re wanting to go into the businesses to use their washrooms.

“We routinely are trying to repair that washroom. The toilets get kicked off, everything gets destroyed, so we wanted to put a Port-Potty in the same location because it tends to be when it’s used at night it’s a lot smaller and we don’t have gatherings of more than one person in the washroom and it becoming more of a crime concern.”

Muraca noted if they are routinely getting beat up or vandalized the contractor is not in the business to supply Porta-Potty’s to the City of Williams Lake and have them destroyed without having to re-coop the cost.

“As long as people respect them, they are maintained properly, we’ll continue to extend the trail period as long as possible. We put them in key visible locations because RCMP will be driving around and they’ll be able to see what’s happening and be able to monitor them. They’re also not that very big. The Boitanio washrooms are going to see a lot more crime that’s hidden because you can get more people in them. These washrooms are one size so it’s not something where people will gather in.”