Brand new public washrooms expected to offer downtown Stratford much-needed relief during the peak of the city’s tourism season are nearly ready to open.
Interior renovations to what was once a tourism information kiosk on York Street are complete and the new, fully accessible washrooms are on schedule to be open to the public this month, said Zac Gribble, the executive director of Destination Stratford.
The upgraded facilities inside the street-level portion of an old boathouse near the Avon River are top of the line, Gribble added. There are now more accessible stalls than there were before, as well as a new universal washroom that includes change tables for children and adults.
“There are very few adult change tables in the city, so we’re proud we were able to accommodate one,” Gribble said. “When we brought this project to (city hall’s) accessibility advisory committee, this was high up on their list of priorities.”
The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario announced funds for Stratford’s outdoor dining areas and public washrooms last summer. Although the money was a footnote in a much larger contribution to the Stratford Festival’s pandemic recoveryGribble said the big-picture benefits of new downtown public washrooms should not be overlooked.
“This represents more than just this facility,” he said. “Regenerative tourism, where we’re making investments that improve quality of life for local residents, is what’s motivating this.”
The boathouse near York Street – a quaint section of the city’s core lined with local shops – is located where the downtown meets Stratford’s park system.
Gribble said recent feedback from residents suggests more people would use Stratford’s parks if they had access to more comfortable places for a pit stop. Numerous festivals also take place near the river every year. As an added, bonus the new washrooms, once they’re open, will be accessible year-round, a big boost for local tourism promoters trying to expand the city’s winter activities.
“It’s extremely busy,” Gribble said. “This is really uncorking just a ton of public participation and cultural activation.”
After the washrooms are opened to the public this month, Gribble said officials are planning a grand opening in the summer after the landscaping and other exterior elements are completed.