Regina City Council decided this week to build permanent washroom facilities downtown to try and make the city’s core more accessible.

The move follows a stalled pilot project looking at the number of people who use the washroom at the Regina Public Library.

Despite COVID-19 putting a pause on the pilot project, Mayor Sandra Masters says it wasn’t a wasted effort.

“I don’t think we wasted time at all, I think there was an element to it,” said Masters. “We still had folks downtown walking around when they were able to, but I don’t think the pilot project was a waste of time, and it’s probably just reinforced in terms of some of the positive feedback we’ve received about the accessibility and the availability of that washroom that helped make the decision.”

The pilot project was initially proposed in 2019 at a cost of $20,000.

Masters says with the city opening up and downtown traffic expected to return to normal levels, the washroom will be needed more than ever.

“We know based upon information from other municipalities, and from the Downtown Business Improvement District, and the residents who often are downtown,” said Masters. “Especially given the amount of use of the washroom at the public library gets, that it’s needed.”

The expected cost of the project is set to be around $750,000, which Masters says is worth it for people to be less stressed while being downtown.

“The idea of a public washroom downtown, is that it facilitates all ages, all demographics, and making visiting downtown more enjoyable, more accessible, and pardon the pun, alleviates visiting downtown,” said Masters.

The location and opening date of the washroom have not been determined yet.