Oh, golly. Restroom ... head ... rear ... so many title choices. Anyway, the whole “Phoenix Park needs another bathroom” issue has reappeared as the city starts to discuss new options. Last year, the issue was flushed away as the city wasn’t about to plunge into another pricey project. There’s a couple factors swirling around the issue.

Number One: Phoenix Park and the Farmers Market Pavilion have both proved more successful than an urban planner's wildest dreams. Those areas are packed with activity. Obviously, this is great news for the city, local event producers, local event attendees, the Farmers Market, veggie-lovers, and we, the people. But it’s bad news for anyone in the park who needs to take a pee.

So everyone knows we need more bathrooms down there, preferably ones that are a lot closer to where the action is. The current facilities are quite a hike for those with a full bladder. (The existing bathrooms, if you didn’t know – and many don’t – are at the trailhead, where S. Barstow meets the Eau Claire river.)

Number Two: The second factor is how fancy to make the restroom. On one hand, no one wants a couple of porta potties. On the other hand, I can’t get the city council to even look at my blueprints for a giant, bronze-plated, phoenix-shaped bathroom poised to rocket skywards. Original plans called for a $300,000+ building that would match existing buildings and offer storage for event equipment (that the city could rent out). Now, it’s hard to argue for a $300,000 restroom that’s only open for the warmer months of the year located in a park a large portion of the city probably never sets foot in. But at the same time, simply slapping up any old lavatory would scar the commitment and investment Phoenix Park as enjoyed thus far.

On August 10, the city will decide if we should seek bids on a restroom project near the Farmers Market, or, I suppose,  just table it for a while longer.