3 weeks Ago By Quinn Mercer
Civic amenities in the Big Apple are inching towards an overhaul, with the New York City Council passing a landmark bill to inject a substantial boost into the city's public restroom facilities. In an ambitious move aimed at addressing the current deficit, there’s a new requirement to add approximately 1,000 public bathrooms by the year 2035, according to CBS News New York . Despite the existence of roughly 1,100 public toilets serving a populace of 8.
6 million, this ratio falls notoriously short, clocking in at about one restroom per 7,820 city-dwellers. This development dovetails with ongoing renovations of existing amenities as seen with the recent $5.6 million makeover of the public restrooms at Tompkins Square Park.
The revitalization of these facilities, once considered among the worst in the city, cannot come soon enough for residents.“They were as nasty as nasty could be. There was a lot of piss in the urinals.
There was a lot of piss on the floor. There was a lot of, um, doodoo in the toilets,” Ronald Rayford, a local park visitor, told Gothamist in an interview reflecting on the old state of the park's restrooms. The refurbished restrooms now boast gleaming porcelain, recessed heaters, and oversight to ensure they maintain their cleanliness.
However, New Yorkers are wary about the maintenance of these new facilities, with hues and cries about cleanliness echoing across the boroughs. "Everybody deserves to be able to use a private space to use the bathroom that's clean and that's functional and maintained, and that is the task of the city," Councilmember Sandy Nurse emphasized, as obtained by CBS News. As the council explores various approaches to upkeep, including automated cleaning systems and public-private partnerships, the grim reality of unsanitary public restrooms is a common city dweller’s lament.
"It could get dirty quickly, you know," noted Brooklyn resident Alex Grayes, in a conversation with CBS News New York . The current shortage has led to some creative solutions over the years. "I'll check that [map] first, but if that map isn't working for me or there's nothing nearby .
.. I actually brought a gym membership almost for the sole purpose that there's multiple locations around the city and I can just swipe in and use the restroom if I need to," Leo Hidey, another Brooklyn resident, said in his quest for accessible restrooms, as per CBS News.
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