A concerned mother has started a petition to install a washroom facility close to Cedar Grove Elementary School’s playground to avoid “unwanted messes” on the equipment and school grounds.
“I’ve witnessed some not so funny atrocities on the playground,” said Erin Kellie, the mother of three and parent advisory committee (PAC) co-chair at Cedar Grove, who started the petition. “When the school is closed, there is absolutely no access to a bathroom anywhere around here, and I have seen kids who hold it until the last minute and then go right on the play equipment.”
Kids also use the nearby forest to relieve themselves when playing at the park or using the adjacent sports field.
Kellie said the issue has been of concern to the PAC for a few years and originally the group approached School District No. 46 with the problem.
“But it’s not in their mandate because during school hours there is access to a washroom. It’s after school hours that’s the problem,” she said.
Through looking into the issue more, Kellie said she discovered part of the playground sits on Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) property. With that in mind, she wrote a letter to the SCRD asking that they provide a washroom facility in the area but “nothing was done with it.”
“That was about a year ago, but they had a staff changeover and then someone who was new in the position called to talk to me about the letter,” Kellie said.
That prompted the issue to be placed on a March 19 community services committee meeting, which drove Kellie to start a petition to show regional directors how much support there is for a washroom in the area.
“I just wanted them to see that it’s an issue for the wider community as well,” Kellie noted.
The petition calls for public washroom access at Frank West Hall; however, the March 19 report to the committee notes the request isn’t possible because it “would require a significant renovation that would impact the overall functionality of the building.”
The report also notes that staff has heard many concerns over the years about the lack of washroom facilities in the area and it suggests two options.
One option is to construct a new washroom facility for about $25,000, while the other calls for a portable washroom facility at a cost of about $1,500 a year.
Kellie said either option would be welcome.
“We just need something to fix the problem as soon as possible,” she said.
While SCRD directors weigh the options available, Kellie asks anyone in favour of washrooms near Cedar Grove Elementary to sign her petition at www.change.org and leave any relevant comments. Search “Cedar Grove” to find the petition once on the website.
