ThereB次元官网网址檚 no relief in sight for ballplayers at Layritz Park.
Since the washroom facilities at the park were closed a couple years ago, the players using the half-dozen ball diamonds at Layritz have had to make the trek along a trail through the bush to the new washrooms put in at the Prospect Lake soccer pitch.
B次元官网网址淲e have kids from the age of three and four all the way up to teenage years,B次元官网网址� said Mark Ward, who coached at Layritz from 1988 to 2014. B次元官网网址淎 lot of them donB次元官网网址檛 bother going to that washroom. They pee in the bushes.B次元官网网址�
Ward said it isnB次元官网网址檛 so much a question of distance, as the Prospect Lake washrooms are only a couple hundred metres from the diamonds, but more of a safety issue, as the children have to travel along a trail in a wooded area and would be outside the view of their parents.
Gary Darrah, manager of Saanich Parks planning and development, said the washrooms were closed due to concerns with the septic system.
B次元官网网址淭hat septic system in there must have been at least 40 years old, our maintenance guys reckoned, and it had just stopped functioning,B次元官网网址� said Darrah.
Compounding the situation was the proximity of a nearby grove of Garry oaks.
B次元官网网址淸Replacing the septic field] would have meant quite a bit of disturbance, in fact we probably would have lost some Garry oaks. We were reluctant to do that, given that we were working with the Prospect Lake soccer folks on a better alternative.B次元官网网址�
Complicating matters is the , meaning while the Prospect Lake facility is connected to sewer, facilities on the other side of the park are not allowed to hook up to the municipal system.
Shannon Nakatsu, acting president of Layritz Little League, said she has heard an earful from parents and other visitors about the lack of access to washrooms.
B次元官网网址淧arents canB次元官网网址檛 just let their kids walk off to the bathroom,B次元官网网址� said Nakatsu. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e completely invisible to the naked eye from any ballfield. TheyB次元官网网址檙e in behind trees. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the bigger issue than the distance.B次元官网网址�
While porta-potties have been brought in to the park, she said those arenB次元官网网址檛 accessible for people with mobility challenge. And youngsters arenB次元官网网址檛 the only ones unable to make the long trek to the Prospect Lake facilities.
B次元官网网址淲e saw an older lady walking up to the washrooms that had been existence all those years,B次元官网网址� Nakatsu recalled. B次元官网网址淪he didnB次元官网网址檛 have the time, or didnB次元官网网址檛 know to go to Prospect Lake, and she ended up squatting in the bush.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 a situation thatB次元官网网址檚 unlikely to change, as Darrah said there are no plans to construct a new washroom at Layritz.
B次元官网网址淚f we were to try and provide clear sight lines to every single washroom building in every single one of our parks, itB次元官网网址檚 just not feasible,B次元官网网址� he said, adding the district is currently undertaking a washroom strategy for the entire park system.
B次元官网网址淧robably washroom buildings are the No. 1 amenity that the public tend to request. But itB次元官网网址檚 not feasible to put a washroom in every park,B次元官网网址� said Darrah, who didnB次元官网网址檛 want to put a pricetag on the cost of a new washroom.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 even want to guess, because if I give you a number thatB次元官网网址檚 the number youB次元官网网址檒l remember. LetB次元官网网址檚 just say theyB次元官网网址檙e probably more expensive than people think.B次元官网网址�
Additional ports-potties will be brought in when .
