Yellow Fever
September 22nd, 2011, 08:04 AM
Public washroom to open at Granville and Robson
By Mike Hager, Vancouver SunSeptember 21, 2011 9:04 PM
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/5438993.bin?size=620x400
Vancouver’s ninth automated public toilet is about to become operational as part of the city’s plan to offer the facilities throughout the downtown area.
The toilets are free to use year-round at any time and the latest installation — a large-sized washroom that can accommodate wheelchairs — will open sometime this fall at the intersection of Granville and Robson Streets.
City spokeswoman Alex Russell said in an email the program was originally planned for just eight toilets, but more may be on the way.
“Statistics are being compiled and reviewed and we are exploring the opportunity to expand the program as part of the City of Vancouver’s street furniture contract with CBS/JCDecaux,” Russell said.
The contract gives that company — a joint venture between CBS Outdoor and JCDecaux — the rights to bus shelter advertising in exchange for building and maintaining outdoor amenities like benches, garbage cans, bike racks, bus shelters and automated public toilets.
Under the 20-year contract, the company also receives a certain amount of money from the city each year — in 2010 it was $48,863 — depending on what it is called upon to do. And the city gets a percentage of the bus shelter ad revenues.
City spokeswoman Wendy Stewart said the city looked at areas with high pedestrian traffic and strategic locations where the washrooms would fill a need.
Vancouver’s many wandering tourists also influenced the need for more easily accessible public washrooms, Stewart said.
“It’s all about all the folks visiting our city and ... having those conveniences available for them.”
Users’ time in the toilets is limited to 12 minutes, after which the washrooms are automatically cleaned and sanitized.
At the 10-minute point, an alert notifies people they have two minutes remaining before the door opens automatically.
The cleaning cycle takes about one minute before the toilet is ready for another person.
Each toilet has an LED screen on its front that shows whether it is occupied, in a cleaning cycle, out of order or available.
JCDecaux, a French company, has installed thousands of the automated toilets around the world.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Public+washroom+open+Granville+Robson/5438992/story.html#ixzz1YesxOGXA
By Mike Hager, Vancouver SunSeptember 21, 2011 9:04 PM
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/5438993.bin?size=620x400
Vancouver’s ninth automated public toilet is about to become operational as part of the city’s plan to offer the facilities throughout the downtown area.
The toilets are free to use year-round at any time and the latest installation — a large-sized washroom that can accommodate wheelchairs — will open sometime this fall at the intersection of Granville and Robson Streets.
City spokeswoman Alex Russell said in an email the program was originally planned for just eight toilets, but more may be on the way.
“Statistics are being compiled and reviewed and we are exploring the opportunity to expand the program as part of the City of Vancouver’s street furniture contract with CBS/JCDecaux,” Russell said.
The contract gives that company — a joint venture between CBS Outdoor and JCDecaux — the rights to bus shelter advertising in exchange for building and maintaining outdoor amenities like benches, garbage cans, bike racks, bus shelters and automated public toilets.
Under the 20-year contract, the company also receives a certain amount of money from the city each year — in 2010 it was $48,863 — depending on what it is called upon to do. And the city gets a percentage of the bus shelter ad revenues.
City spokeswoman Wendy Stewart said the city looked at areas with high pedestrian traffic and strategic locations where the washrooms would fill a need.
Vancouver’s many wandering tourists also influenced the need for more easily accessible public washrooms, Stewart said.
“It’s all about all the folks visiting our city and ... having those conveniences available for them.”
Users’ time in the toilets is limited to 12 minutes, after which the washrooms are automatically cleaned and sanitized.
At the 10-minute point, an alert notifies people they have two minutes remaining before the door opens automatically.
The cleaning cycle takes about one minute before the toilet is ready for another person.
Each toilet has an LED screen on its front that shows whether it is occupied, in a cleaning cycle, out of order or available.
JCDecaux, a French company, has installed thousands of the automated toilets around the world.
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Public+washroom+open+Granville+Robson/5438992/story.html#ixzz1YesxOGXA