GREEN PARTY ANNOUNCES COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC WASHROOM ACCESS

MEDIA RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – SEPT 26, 2018 

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Green Party of Vancouver has announced a commitment to public washroom access across the city. 

Public washrooms support public health. Green Party park board commissioners will make clean, accessible facilities a priority. In particular, Greens will work in close collaboration with municipal partners and staff to provide a welcoming and inclusive standard at every park board facility, for all ages, genders, abilities and backgrounds.

Current park board chair Stuart Mackinnon, who is running for reelection with the Green Party of Vancouver, has long been an advocate for public washrooms across Vancouver. During his terms as Commissioner, Mackinnon has consistently advocated for increased public washroom access and championed the availability of hand soap. He is adamant that publicly accessible bathrooms need to be approached as a public health issue.

“I am pleased to see that Vancouver’s 2019-2022 capital plan includes $12.3 million to maintain and renovate publicly accessible washrooms, which includes washrooms in field houses and concession stands. Park board needs to work with city council on building even more public washrooms, and ensuring that all new civic infrastructure includes accessible washrooms for all.”

Michael Wiebe, a current park commissioner running for city council, highlighted the opportunity for collaboration on this issue between council and the park board. 

“Public washrooms are an essential part of liveability in Vancouver. People often do not think about how necessary they are until they need one. As a councillor, I intend to advocate new developments include publicly accessible washrooms outside the building when they’re located adjacent to parks. I look forward to working collaboratively with park board to ensure public washrooms are clean, safe and accessible for when people need them.”

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More information:

When you haveto go… by Stuart Mackinnon

Park BoardCommissioner wants you to wash your hands by Stuart Mackinnon

Publictoilets in parks: can we make them less crappy? by Jodi Lastman

When yougotta go, but there’s no public toilet in sight by André Picard