Report to: General Committee Report Date: February 29, 2008

SUBJECT: Review of the Provision of Washroom Facilities in the Unionville Main Street Area and other Tourist Areas

PREPARED BY: Steve Andrews, Director of Asset Management

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the report titled “Review of the Provision of Washroom Facilities in the Unionville Main Street Area and other Tourist Areas” dated February 29, 2008 be received;

AND THAT Council authorizes staff to review options for the provision of washroom facilities in the Unionville Main Street Business Area;

AND THAT Council authorizes staff to retain the services of a consultant to assist staff in the development of a general policy on the provision of washroom facilities and other public services to support tourist areas of the Town.

AND THAT funding in the amount of $15,000 for the consultant services be obtained from the 2008 Capital Account, 056-5399-8477-005 New Public Washroom Feasibility Plan (budget of $100,000);

AND THAT Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Not applicable

1. Purpose 2. Background 3. Discussion 4. Financial

5. Others (Environmental, Accessibility, Engage 21st, Affected Units) 6. Attachment(s)

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to seek approval from Council to hire a consultant to assist staff in the development of options for the provision of public washroom facilities in the Main Street Unionville business area and to develop a general policy of providing public washrooms and other types of public services in other tourist areas of the Town.

BACKGROUND:

At the October 22, 2007 meeting of General Committee, Mr. Amar Banerjee and Mr Ted Shepard presented a preliminary design concept for a permanent washroom facility under the Unionville Bandstand. This presentation highlighted the fact that the Unionville BIA area has become a highly successful venue for special events throughout the year. While restaurants and other private establishments have always been accommodating, the Unionville BIA area has now attracted visitors in such volume that the question of permanent public washroom facilities should be investigated in detail.

OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:

Presently there are a number of municipally owned washroom facilities within the Main Street Unionville area, although available to the public, may be considered too distant from the south end of Main Street, in the vicinity or the Bandstand, where significant activity occurs particularly during special events. Washrooms are available for public use at various times at the Crosby Arena, Fred Varley Art Gallery, Unionville Library, and Unionville Train Station.

In order to fully review this issue it is recommended that a consultant be retained to assist staff in the review of several options for the provision of additional public washroom facilities in the Main Street Unionville. In conjunction with this review in the Unionville Main Street area staff will also prepare a policy that would help guide Council on establishing washroom facilities in other tourist areas of the Town. As part of this review it is intended to include other services that are often associated with tourist areas such as water drinking fountains, internet services and waste and recycling collection. Staff will determine maintenance costs and responsibilities, locations, functionality, design, signage, and security.

The review will include the following components:

1. The advantage both to the business sector and to the Town and the extent to which the establishment of permanent washrooms would enhance service to both for visitors and Town residents. The issues of cost, responsibility, and other impacts will also be reviewed.

· Discussion with the BIAs and Village Associations in order to better describe the current problem and its impact on businesses, to analyze the potential advantage for local businesses and to project the current and future scale of local events and washroom need;

· A review of public washrooms established in other tourist venues in and around the GTA, such as Kleinburg, Port Perry, Barrie waterfront, Port Credit harbour, etc. Why did they establish public washrooms, what rates of usage can be expected, what has been the reception among businesses and the public, what season/hours do they operate, at what cost and by whom are they maintained?

· Consultation with the Recreation and Culture Departments to determine usage at Town nearby facilities during special events, typical utilization rates in relation to visitor volume, typical washroom maintenance costs;

· The adequacy of street signage to direct the public to existing public washroom facilities;

2. Where public washrooms could and should be provided.

To investigate this issue the study should consider factors such as where the need is most acute, where land or buildings are (or could be) available, terrain factors such as floodplain, sewer connection, wheelchair-accessible grades, heritage considerations, security against vandalism, and maintenance issues.

3. Financial and Operating Responsibility

The matter of financial responsibility pertains both to capital cost and, perhaps more importantly, to ongoing operating cost for maintenance, service, supplies and security. Determining operating responsibility will be the essential step to make sure that any facilities remain a valuable attribute to the area rather than an ongoing source of complaint and/or undue cost.

· Through interviews with the BIAs and local businesses, the potential for a public/private partnership for the operation of publicly-available washrooms will be investigated;

· Cost estimates for annual maintenance and supplies, assuming that full responsibility were to be assumed by the Town will be determined. These estimates will ensure that the ultimate decision does not underestimate the ongoing annual cost of maintenance, supplies and security for such a facility at a suitably high level of service.

· Ideas for financial and operating responsibility may be available from other municipalities which have public washrooms in tourist areas

4. Temporary facilities during special events

The Unionville Festival Committee on behalf of the Unionville BIA annually requests the Town’s Operations Department to provide approximately 21 temporary facilities which are distributed through various locations on Main Street. The study will review the effectiveness of this service and how this program might be impacted by the provision of permanent washroom facilities.

5. Design Parameters

In tourist areas design will be a significant factor. Not only must any facility be of appropriate size, wheelchair accessible, cost-effective and efficiently serviceable, it must also complement the heritage theme of the BIA areas.

It is anticipated that the study can be concluded in the summer of 2008 and a report will be forwarded to General Committee on this matter. In the interim, for the Unionville Main Street area, Staff will research the possibility of providing portable facilities that will be installed in the vicinity of the Bandstand.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE: (external link)

It is estimated that the cost to hire a consultant to undertake this review is $15,000. Existing funding of $100,000 is available in the 2008 Capital Budget Account 056-5399-8477-005 to undertake this work.

The following table is a summary of the financial considerations for this report:

Original Budget and Account #	$100,000	2008 Capital Budget 056-5399-8477-005- New Public Washroom Feasibility Plan
Current Budget Available (unspent)	$100,000
Less Cost	($15,000)	Awarded to: to be determined
Less Contingency
Budget Remaining	$85,000

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable.

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

Accessibility will be a consideration with the feasibility review.

ENGAGE 21^ST CONSIDERATIONS:

Not applicable.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

Business units potentially affected are Operations, Urban Design, Recreation Services and Cultural Services.

RECOMMENDED

BY:

________________________ ________________________

Steve Andrews P. Eng. Peter Loukes P. Eng.

Director of Asset Management Commission Lead

Operations and Asset Management

ATTACHMENTS:

Financial Template

Q:\Commission Share\Operations and Asset Management\Reports\2008\Asset Management\FACILITIES\Feasibility Review for the Unionville Main Street Public Washroom.doc