After rejecting a day camp’s request to use Happy Valley Park for free, city council wants a new policy created to govern the use of such venues.
During its July 11 regular meeting, council voted unanimously to have city administration prepare a bylaw that would establish a washroom venue policy and rental fee schedule for the use of city parks.
This is in response to its decision during its June 24 meeting to deny a request from the Roots Elementary Program to use Happy Valley Park’s washrooms for free during its day camps from July 4 to 8 and Aug. 1 to 5. This decision meant the camp had to pay the rental rate if it wanted to use the venue.
While introducing the motion during the July 11 meeting, Coun. Heather Eby explained that she voted with most of her colleagues to deny the request but thought the city should have a policy to oversee this issue. While approving the day camp’s request could have created an unfair landscape for other groups paying to use the park, she later realized washrooms are a basic need for summer camps.
“I want us to find a policy that will work, that will be reasonable and easily accessible for all groups that are using these facilities in the summer,” she said. “We have great parks and we want the parks to be used.”
Eby added that she trusted city administration to bring forward a reasonable policy that could be implemented next summer.
Coun. Jamey Logan agreed with Eby’s motion and the reasons for it. He pointed out that the city can’t leave washrooms open unattended since that could attract “unsavoury acts” that are dangerous, while they would need to be cleaned after those activities.
“I think if we have a policy in place where perhaps folks could just gain a key and gain access and pay the necessary cost recovery, then I certainly think it’s a good idea,” he added.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, July 25.
