Borough testing electronic, remote locks on park bathrooms for more efficient opening hours

NDG Park Chalet in March 2016. Photo: Isaac Olson

The Côte-des-Neiges–NDG is testing electronic locks on bathrooms in an undisclosed park this summer with hopes that it could solve the problem of public toilets not always being reliably open on time during the summer months.

Borough director Stéphane Plante says the locks are a test run because, as it stands, borough workers have to go around to all the parks and open the doors manually. They sometimes get distracted by emergencies or other issues and the bathrooms are not always unlocked in timely manner.

These remote-operated electronic locks could be the solution, he said, as it would allow the borough to open all the bathrooms at the touch of a button from a remote location.

Meanwhile, while the chalet in NDG Park is under renovation this summer, there will be an effort to ensure toilets are always available, he said. It may be necessary, he said, to install portable toilets for a time if the bathrooms need closing, but there will always be an effort to supply the public with bathrooms of some kind.

There are no plans to change the operating hours of park bathrooms this summer, Plante said. Park bathrooms are closed for the winter and generally begin opening in early May.

-Isaac Olson