Mount Pleasant DC Forum

[admin]

I noticed on the ANC's (anc1d.org) the following notice:

There was an show of hands indicating unanimous support for a public toilet in Lamont Park (with several abstentions).

Is there some reason why we need public toilets in our park (or anywhere else for that matter)?

[Tina]

I can't even conceive of what that would look like. Who voted for that? Seriously, in a residential neighborhood, and in the midst of all those businesses, why do we need a public toilet? The people who are urinating on the walls and in the streets are, frankly, the same people who will throw trash on the streets right next to a trash can. And in any case, who is going to maintain it? The same folks who keep our streets so clean?

[RckCrk]

Outrageous. It makes absolutely no sense to put public toilets on that already poorly tended little island called a "park."

[jack]

[bdweller]

if it would stop people from urinating/defecating in residences yards along 17th St. and on Lamont I would be all for it.

[jack]

[zrathore]

Are there any other locations in DC that have public toliets? If so, where?

[nwobservers]

These would look great in Lamont "Park" wouldnt they:

http://www.citynoise.org/article/566

[jack]

[ClancyMac]

Many years ago, when I first moved to DC and lived in Dupont Circle, the "Comfort Station" located at the intersection of P Street, Mass Ave, and the Circle was still operating as a public restroom. It was disgusting---it reeked to high heaven because it wasn't cleaned regularly, people used to go inside it to shoot up, and it was also a crime magnet---as muggers would look for late night drunks to roll. I remember passing by and unfortunately witnessing someone defecating outside of the building (in the middle of the day, mind you), either because she was too drunk or too scared to go into the public restroom itself.

Based upon that experience, I cannot imagine that any good would come of putting a public restroom in Lamont Park.

[jack]

[ClancyMac]

it's a bright and shiny, slightly more hygienic, version of the comfort station. An extremely expensive version, at $250,000 a pop.

Unless the closed circuit TV is on the outside, it wouldn't stop the mugger problem--i.e., the mugger watches the inebriated go in and then lies in wait until the drunk emerges.

It may have a 20 minute time limit, but how would this prevent drug users from going in and shooting up in privacy? The door may open automatically after 20 minutes, but what about the drunk or druggie who has OD'd inside? And yeah, I do think that would be a big problem---my neighbors have spotted folks shooting up in Mt. Pleasant alleys. The public toilet (in close proximity to the Monroe & Park Road drug dealers) would just be an attractive nuisance.

I also agree with Tina---the same folks who urinate in the yards along 17th street are the same ones who throw trash on the street right beside a trash can. The fact that a toilet is there does not mean that it will be used. Why pay a quarter when you can go against a wall for free?

I can think of lots of ways the Mt. Pleasant Commercial Corridor could benefit from a $250,000 expenditure. A public toilet is not one of them.

[gfletcher]

[bdweller]

I agree totally...

I was being sort of sarcastic with my post above

[dupont]

I don't see any good coming from this...all we will see is more crime, littering and loitering...oh, and what a great place to hide before mugging someone...or perhaps perform a nice drug deal!