Concerned about the high cost and little time to fit it into the city's upcoming budget deliberations, city councillors rejected a self-cleaning computerized washroom for Clergue Park.
In June of this year, Ward 2 Coun. Lisa Vezeau-Allen and Ward 3's Angela Caputo suggested the idea, arguing that 24/7 self-cleaning toilets are needed by increasing numbers of homeless or precariously housed individuals.
But at this week's city council meeting, deputy chief administrative officers Brent Lamming and Susan Hamilton Beach said a one-hole self-cleaning outhouse would cost $350,175.
Councillors voted down that idea, and also rejected an alternative motion asking city staff to investigate the possibility of portable potties or a permanent thundershack that wouldn't clean itself.
Some city representatives, including Ward 1 Coun. Sandra Hollingsworth, were able to see self-cleaning toilets firsthand at this year's Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference.
While the self-cleaning washroom would save on maintenance costs, city staff estimated it could take about an hour a day more for general groundskeeping and litter removal in the surrounding area.
"Downtown business owners and business owners across the city are dealing with human waste on their doorsteps," Coun. Caputo said.
"This is a situation, for me, of human dignity. Where are we expecting these folks to use the bathroom?
"There was a lot of talk... about the fear that homeless people were going to use the bathrooms. Where else are they going to go? We don't want them not using facilities, but we also don't want them using facilities.
"So I think that as a society and as a council, we need to figure out how to give these people dignity and facilities."
Caputo said she nonetheless had reservations about the $350,175 cost of a self-cleaning washroom.
"I think that now that we have a cost of the self-cleaning bathroom, I would really like to see a cost for if we were to build a standard, maybe gender-neutral, single stall or or a set of bathrooms," Caputo suggested.
"It's not going to happen for this budget cycle," said Mayor Matthew Shoemaker.
"I suspect staff is probably 80 or 90 per cent of the way through the preliminary budget, which is coming to us fairly quickly, and so trying to get all this stuff jammed in on the fly is not really the right way to do it," Shoemaker said.
"So if it's a motion that were brought in the new year, I think there'd be some willingness on my part to support that, but I'm not willing to support it at this point, given where we're at in the preliminary budget."
Bike lockers also rejected
Councillors also narrowly rejected an idea spearheaded by Coun. Caputo for valets to secure bicycles downtown.
City staff had recommended buying two pre-assembled bicycle lockers, each capable of storing two bikes at downtown locations.
The combined cost of the two weather-resistant shelters was $10,625.
"It's such a nominal cost," Caputo said. "I think it is a wonderful and progressive first step to invite more folks from Sault Cycling Club and anybody who has a bicycle to frequent our downtown and I think that any way that we can do that, we should do it."
But Ward 4 Coun. Marchy Bruni wasn't buying.
"Wouldn't bike racks be more economical?" Bruni asked.
"You know, anchored into the ground, and people can use those instead of having lockers?"
"Unfortunately, I don't support this. I maybe I like to go back to the old-fashioned way with bike racks, having them scattered around the city. People provide their own locks. They still got to provide your own locks. I think economically, this is more feasible, if you get regular bike racks," Bruni said.
"I will tell you, from experience, there are bicycles in our community that far exceed the $10,000 mark of this particular project," said Ward 1 Coun. Sonny Spina.
"One bicycle I wouldn't want to have that locked up by a simple lock on an open rack."
"For people who cycle. their bike represents the freedom for them to get to work, the freedom for them to get to school, the freedom for them to grocery shop for their families.
"That bike being stolen stops them from going to work, stops them from going to school, and potentially stops them from getting groceries for their families.
"If you were someone who drives almost exclusively, imagine what would happen to your life if your car was stolen.
"Sure your insurance company may replace it in a timely fashion and they may give you a rental for the time being. That's not going to happen if your sole mode of transportation is a bicycle. That's it. You're stuck. You're not going anywhere," Spina said.
"I think that this is a no brainer, frankly, to use green funding that is built into our budget to support this initiative," said Mayor Matthew Shoemaker.
"I'm surprised, frankly, that it has engendered this much debate, but that is why we're here."
There was more opposition, however, than Shoemaker realized.
The resolution failed on a four-four tie.
Voting for the bike lockers were Mayor Shoemaker and Couns. Spina, Caputo and Gardi..
Votibg against were Couns. Hollingsworth, Bruni, Kinach and Scott.