A woman advocating for around-the-clock public washroom access for Maple Ridge's homeless population got no guarantees or commitments from city council.
Linda Meyer was a delegate to Maple Ridge council on Nov. 26, to lobby that the city provide homeless people with access to public flush toilets 24-7.
She described an incident when she saw a person defecating in public near the Lougheed Highway Dairy Queen on Oct. 28, calling it "disturbing and upsetting."
"Where is the human dignity in defecating in public view?" she asked, and added that public defecating is linked with disease.
She noted that The Hub, which offers public washrooms and showers for the street population, is not open evenings. Other public washrooms also close evenings.
Meyer talked about the need for menstruating homeless women needing nighttime access to both flush toilets and hygiene supplies.
"I know what the majority of you are thinking, which is Maple Ridge can't afford to purchase public toilets," she told council. "That is a worn-out excuse that continues to marginalize and plague homeless people."
Meyer said other municipalities have found funding through the province, and she suggested the city could use its financial reserves.
"Please provide homeless people with 24-7 access to public toilets, which will restore homeless people's human dignity, and will maintain the public health of the citizens of Maple Ridge," said Meyer.
Mayor Dan Riuimy said the issue is a dilemma across the Lower Mainland, and across the country.
"Obviously it's a complex problem, because why are they out on the streets in the first place," he said. "These are questions that every city council is seized with, and indeed we have had conversations about trying to figure out the public toilet."
Ruimy said council understands the issue, and is speaking with staff about possible solutions.
Meyer said other cities have provided public toilets.
"What about talking to other municipalities? Vancouver has 24-7 toilets, so does New Westminster, and so does Burnaby," she responded. "I suggest you contact them, and see how they did it. Because you can do the same thing. Doing nothing is not an option."
Ruimy thanked her for her presentation.
Meyer pledged to continue to advocate for public toilets.
"I'm not just going to give this presentation and go home and forget about this thing," she told Ruimy. "If I don't hear a positive response from this council, I will go to the minister of health in Victoria. I am not giving up."
Meyer is well known locally for her successful court battle to permit women to be topless in public in 2000.
"I wouldn't suggest that you would give up," answered Ruimy. "Like I said, it's complex. We are seized with this as well. not only for the public washrooms, but for everything related with homeless people. We know we have about 134 homeless people, we would love nothing more than for the province to come up with a place where we can house them, and feed them, and that they wouldn't have to be out on the streets."
"That is a challenge we're faced with, and it's something we talk about all the time."
