Washrooms along the Okanagan Rail Trail have become a No. 1 (and No. 2) priority.
Greater Vernon Advisory Committee directors discussed at length the immediate need for temporary washrooms along the trail at its monthly meeting Thursday.
“Washrooms, especially around the Kickwillie area, with porta-potties being a quick fix for it,” said Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick, who was among the civic leaders that took part in a recent workshop along the trail. “Also porta-potties with a shed structure around it. People don’t want to be looking at blue porta-potties.”
Even though the trail from Coldstream to Kelowna is closed right now for construction — a soft opening is planned in the near future — people are still using the trail and, according to some residents in the Westkal area at the start of the trail, going to the washroom along the trail or just off of it.
Mike Fox, general manager of community services for the Regional District of North Okanagan, told directors he has been meeting with the District of Coldstream about the issue.
“We are deciding where temporary washrooms will go, doing so in consultation with Coldstream and staff,” said Fox. “We have talked about placing wayfinding signs pointing out where permanent washrooms already are (Kalamalka Lake beach).”
Some people have been trying to use the washrooms at the Kalamalka Country Club, and nearby businesses have been accommodating people with their facilities.
Vernon councillor Catherine Lord who, like Garlick, participated in the workshop and got feedback from the public about what they’d like to see along the trail, said a washroom plan should already be in place.
“How quick are we going to get this out there?” said Lord. “People are already using it (trail). We were out on a rainy, dismal Saturday at 9:30 in the morning and there were all sorts of people on it.
“It’s going to be used more than Kal (Provincial) Park. It concerns me we have nothing concrete to deal with in the next month.”
Fox said a plan is in place, but RDNO is waiting for Agricultural Land Commission approval before they can proceed, a situation they had to deal with before putting out garbage receptacles along the trail, which are now in place after ALC consented.
The key to remember is if a porta-potty is installed, it’s only temporary.
RDNO directors and staff must decide if a permanent washroom will be put up along the trail.
“We’ve heard from people in favour of washrooms, we’ve heard from people not in favour of washrooms,” said GVAC chairperson Juliette Cunningham. “We have to analyze why people don’t want them. My understanding is it’s around aesthetics. People don’t want to see blue porta-potties so we have to find ways to mitigate that.”
Another issue, said Cunningham, is where to install a washroom if that’s what is voted on.
“It might not be at the trailhead, it might be somewhere along the trail,” she said.
