Toronto opens park washrooms, water fountains early this year

The City of Toronto is opening park washrooms and water fountains early this year.

Eighty per cent of the city's washrooms are now open, with the rest to open by the end of next week, Mayor Olivia Chow said at a news conference Friday. Seasonal washrooms, along with their attached water fountains, usually open in May but were able to be activated earlier thanks to warmer than usual temperatures, she said.

"It takes the staff a lot of work ... It's so complicated," she said.

"I know right now it doesn't feel that summer-y, but it is coming. So, I want to extend my gratitude to all the workers that are working hard to get the city back on track."

In previous years, the city has been criticized for opening washrooms and water facilities too late in the spring season, and the equipment not working when it's supposed to. This year, Chow said council put an extra $20 million into the parks and recreation operating budget to "get things back on track on for all the outdoor activities."

"I'm fixing it," she said.

"There are a few things that are not perfect yet but is very much on our radar and ... we want to encourage the public to let us know when something is not working."

The city is also working to open other facilities ahead of the summer, including splash and spray pads, outdoor and wading pools, ornamental fountains, community and allotment gardens. The city says all of this will be done in phases, with everything scheduled to be done by mid to late June.