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Opinion: Coasters can’t get a bathroom break

What do you do when nature calls but no one else seems to care? That’s the question for a Gibsons woman who recently wrote to local governments and the management of the town’s two shopping centres to inform them of a serious problem: the shortage of
washrooms

What do you do when nature calls but no one else seems to care?

That’s the question for a Gibsons woman who recently wrote to local governments and the management of the town’s two shopping centres to inform them of a serious problem: the shortage of publicly accessible washrooms due to COVID-19 response.

It’s an urgent matter, she told them.

“How do those waiting for the bus manage? In fact, how do bus drivers manage? In fact, how do RCMP officers manage? Taxi drivers? Delivery folks? Truck drivers?”

These are all good questions.

Another Sunshine Coast woman, Anke Scheffler, may have discovered at least a partial answer. “Over the last two weeks I have been recognizing an increasing number of people jumping out of their cars with a roll of toilet paper in their hands running into the woods,” Ms. Scheffler told us.

She confirmed what was going on during her daily walks, and it wasn’t pretty. “Certainly it can become a challenge with most public options of washrooms unavailable,” she acknowledged diplomatically. “However, since many people have already adapted to cleaning up after their dogs, now is the time to transform this courtesy and clean up after themselves.”

Ms. Scheffler asks you to keep in mind that toilet paper can take up to five years to decompose, and it’s up to all of us to keep the Sunshine Coast beautiful. “As simple as it is carrying the little poop bags for your dog, there is no difference in doing it for your own business and dispose it into the regular household garbage.”

Meanwhile our Gibsons lady – notice we didn’t name her; she prefers that – couldn’t find any relief at Canadian Tire, so she asked politely if there was another place nearby with a public washroom. “I was told the Shell station might. I was not about to walk over and find out the facilities were not open so I asked about a bucket. And no, I was not being nasty,” she said.

“So, this is a problem. We can avoid imbibing anything – but that is not good for health. Those with medical conditions such as prostate issues, diabetes and other issues need access. Please don’t tell us the answer is to stay home – sometimes it is necessary to go out. And, folks, if we are trying to get exercise, we are out and about walking (and yes, keeping social distance). Anyone taking a young child out for air and exercise knows what ‘gotta go’ means.

“But sometimes you gotta go.”

After this, her letter gets too detailed, but she raises an important point.

Her suggestion is to install portable washrooms in strategic locations and publish a list.

Local governments weren’t entirely deaf to her plea. On Monday the SCRD posted this on Facebook: “If you visit www.scrd.ca/covid-19-updates you will find maps of public washroom locations that are operated by the Town of Gibsons, District of Sechelt and the Sunshine Coast Regional District.”

Anke Scheffler, whose idea of human poop bags could make someone rich, gets the last uplifting word on the subject: “If we want a good outcome of these challenging times, we have to do it together! One Mind – One Heart – One Consciousness!”