Saskatoon eyes expanded riverfront washroom security plan

More security is being considered for public washrooms along Saskatoon’s riverfront as the city looks at expanding their hours of operation.

According to a city report, the objective is to “develop operating business plan options for City Council to consider expanding the monitored riverbank washroom operating model to one or more additional locations, based on the operational outcomes achieved at North Kiwanis Memorial Park.”

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The expansion could include public washroom locations such as Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan/Mendel Park, River Landing Pavilion, the Permanent Outdoor Festival Site and the Victoria Park Boathouse.

During Tuesday’s Environment, Utilities and Corporate Services Committee meeting, Shane McKechney, facilities manager, said vandalism at each unmonitored public washroom costs an average of $5,000 in repairs each time vandalism occurs.

“These incidents are not isolated. They repeatedly reduce availability and require assessment, cleanup, repairs and safety checks before reopening,” he said.

Damage included, but was not limited to, destroyed or partially destroyed urinals and toilets, sinks, pooled bodily fluids such as urine and blood, discarded needles, and damaged doors, stalls and locks.

“On September 9, four of the five year-round washrooms were closed after sinks and infrastructure behind the walls were damaged,” he added.

Currently, Angela Gardiner, general manager of utilities and environment, said public washrooms are open during the day and monitored three times a day by commissionaires. Despite that, vandalism still occurs.

“What we have found is that … in between those checks, the community is finding ways to get into the washrooms and vandalism is happening at that time,” she explained.

The report also outlines the cost of renovating each bathroom to accommodate a dedicated space for attendants at $75,000 each, as well as an estimated annual operating cost of $276,000 for each site — a “break-even” threshold of approximately 55 incidents per year.

However, “These costs are not currently included in the approved operating budget and would require mill rate-supported funding through future budget deliberations,” the report indicated.

That funding would be considered as part of the 2028-29 budget.

Materials Recovery Centre slope failure

Just three years after the official opening of Saskatoon’s Materials Recovery Centre at the Saskatoon landfill, a critical slope failure at a stormwater pond on the property will mean a $1.2 million repair bill.

Brendan Lemcke, director of water and waste operations, told councillors that it needs immediate repair.

“The slope area is being regularly monitored, and while there are currently no environmental concerns, further degradation of the slope and the pond liner could result in significant environmental impact,” he said.

That’s because, according to a city report, a petroleum pipeline that delivers petroleum products to Saskatoon was buried on the current MRC site in the 1950s and is still active today. Any further slope deterioration could damage the pipeline.

Lemcke was asked whether any contractor warranty issues had been identified. He told councillors his department is looking into the matter.

The money for the repairs is expected to come from the city’s Waste Processing Capital and Replacement Reserve.