A new way to tackle the vandalism issue in Penticton鈥檚 public washrooms has caught the attention of city council.

Councillors were intrigued by the idea of installing a public washroom facility that is manned by a community support worker, similar to what is already in place at one 琉璃神社 location.

Dhorea Ramanula, executive director of Paid Employment for People with Lived Experiences (PEOPLE) pitched the public washroom idea and shared stories of the project鈥檚 success in 琉璃神社 at Tuesday鈥檚 (Jan. 19) council meeting.

PEOPLE is a social enterprise that assists those facing issues like homelessness and substance misuse in finding employment.

The washrooms in 琉璃神社 were built using re-purposed shipping containers and are staffed with support workers seven-days-a-week from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Many of the employees themselves have faced lived experience with homelessness, addiction and mental health issues, explained Ramanula.

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The staff 鈥渙r peer-navigators鈥� are employed on-site to not only ensure cleanliness and deter vandalism but also to provide a safe-space and provide outreach services to people in need of them.

Since opening the washrooms in April, the 琉璃神社 location has seen over 19,000 visitors, handed out numerous bottles of water and naloxone kits and provided an average of 60 phone calls per day for people who have no other way to contact their families. PEOPLE has also referred people to numerous shelters and treatment centres.

鈥淲hat we find is that if you get your needs met, then there鈥檚 less criminality and other things going on,鈥� Ramanula said. 鈥淭he fact that peers are sitting there and you can reach out to someone who has had a similar experience鈥� that dials down stigma, it dials down barriers, folks get their needs met and we, as a community, we all win.鈥�

The facilities in 琉璃神社 consist of two stalls in a six-metre steel shipping container, located in downtown 琉璃神社.

The City of 琉璃神社 has been supportive of the project and provided continued funding. The facility, adjacent to the Queensway transit exchange in downtown 琉璃神社, also serves as an information kiosk for tourists and a public phone charging station.

Public washrooms are a 鈥減articularly sensitive area鈥� in Penticton, said coun. Judy Sentes as they are vandalized frequently, forcing them to close.

鈥淭he vandalism is horrific and it results in them being closed which is a tragedy for everyone,鈥� said Sentes.

Sentes continued to say the city has looked into different way to keep the washrooms open and safe but the cost of doing so has prohibited them from doing so.

Ramanula said because of the work her organizations does at the washrooms they have yet to face any issues with vandalism.

Penticton councillors were overall very interested in setting up a similar facility in Penticton and directed staff to have further conversations with Ramanula.

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jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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