First Victoria received international praise for its streetcorner urinal. Now, the city is celebrating more fame for its public bathroom, open 24/7 on Langley Street.
On Tuesday, city officials converged at the stand-alone “loo” to celebrate its first place finish in Cintas Canada’s annual contest.
“The Langley Street loo is part of a larger strategy that ensures our downtown is vibrant and safe – day and night,” Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin said in a press release.
The contest, run by Cintas, an Ontario company that sells bathroom cleaning supplies, recognizes public washrooms deemed most hospitable.
“It’s not the most lavish restroom by any measure, but that’s the beauty of a public poll. Everyone’s opinion counts,” said Rod Farquharson, the company’s director of sales and operations for Western Canada.
The Langley Street loo was purchased from the City of Portland, Ore., in 2011 for $90,000 and is maintained throughout the day by the city’s sanitation crew.
In October 2010, the city won an international Pinnacle Award for its custom-designed urinal located on the corner of Pandora Avenue and Government Street.
rholmen@vicnews.com
