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 A view of Toronto’s first pay toilet on Wednesday, May 19, 2010. (MICHAEL PEAKE/QMI Agency) |
TORONTO - For those who can give two bits, Toronto’s first automated pay toilet is now taking customers at 25 cents a poop — er, pop.
“They are modern, state of the art washrooms — they actually clean themselves after each use. Now try that at home,” Mayor David Miller said before cutting a blue ribbon to open the loo.
“These washrooms will help families, will help all of us use the streets of Toronto more conveniently and easily.
We think we’ve got it right for Toronto’s context and it’s an important addition for people to be able to walk around the city.”
A large crowd of press, officials and curious onlookers were on hand for the grand opening of the automated john, the first of 20 planned across the city over the next 20 years.
Astral Media Outdoor is paying for the washrooms, part of a $1-billion contract for street furniture and advertising, including waste bins, transit shelters, benches, bike posts and information pillars.
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The washrooms, benches and waste bins will not have ads, only public service announcements.
“Together we are working to beautify the city, to make it attractive to visitors and a source of pride for the citizens,” Astral president Luc Sabbatini said.
“We are extremely proud today of the product we are launching. It is a brilliant design solution for Toronto that is simple, sanitary and secure.”
The new bathroom automatically cleans itself and will also get visited by an attendant three times a day.
Astral is responsible for buying the $400,000 units, built in Atlanta, and the maintenance.
At the end of the 20-year contract, the city will retain ownership of all 25,000 pieces of street furniture.
The Automated Public Toilets will take any coins up to and including toonies and will provide change. They will also work with tokens that the city plans to distribute to homeless people through its Streets to Homes program.
One quarter gets you 20 minutes max.
Warning lights will start flashing at 15 minutes. At 18 minutes the warning comes on again and when 20 minutes are up you better be done, as the door then opens.
It’s also equipped with emergency buttons linked to a dispatcher, a smoke alarm, an emergency escape hatch and sensors to prevent the cleaning system from starting if anyone is inside.