Lewiston plans to install seven restrooms this fall identical to this one recently installed in Deering Oaks in Portland. City of Portland

LEWISTON — The city plans to install a series of public restrooms this fall after years of debate over the best solution to a consistent problem.

Adding public restrooms has been discussed by city officials for years, but the high price tag of an earlier proposal led the previous council to scrap a project. Throughout discussions, officials have said they continue to receive complaints from businesses and other property owners about entryways or alleyways being used as bathrooms.

The seven permanent restrooms, to be placed in locations across the city, are also seen as an amenity for visitors. City staff has previously met with officials in Portland, which has installed the same bathroom units and has deemed them a success.

The units do not have running water, but are stocked with paper products, hand sanitizer, and sharps collection boxes, and are cleaned and sanitized at least once daily.

During this year’s budget process, the City Council approved spending $350,000 on the restroom units, plus an additional $84,000 annually for a Public Works employee to maintain them.

Kevin Gagne, director of Public Works, told the City Council recently that the open design allows for a certain level of safety, and that the locations were carefully considered by staff.

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The locations include next to the Oak Street Garage, Lincoln Street, and locations near Simard-Payne Memorial Park at 46 Beech St., Sunnyside Park at 132 Winter St., Pettingill School Park at 411 College St., Lionel Potvin Park at 1 Cedar St. and Mike McGraw Park on 280 Bartlett St.

Gagne told the council that staff has proposed locations that are visible to police but not directly at park entrances.

The units have been ordered and should be in Lewiston in roughly 10 weeks, with staff eyeing an October completion date for installing them.

“We want to get these functional as quickly as possible,” Gagne said.

The units are installed on top of a 1,500-gallon tank, with a concrete pad on top. Some locations, due to limitations, use a smaller, aboveground tank. Gagne said each unit will have a sign with a QR code, which people can use to report concerns or restroom conditions.

During a previous council workshop, acting City Administrator Brian O’Malley said stairwells in parking garages and entryways to businesses on Lisbon Street are consistently being used as public restrooms. He said while bathrooms at the Lewiston Public Library and City Hall are sometimes available, it’s not enough.

Reached Wednesday, Mayor Carl Sheline said while there’s been a lot of debate over whether public restrooms are truly needed, “the next time you’re in one of our great city parks and need to go, the necessity of these bathrooms will be clear.”

“This effort increases the usability of our parks and makes our city a better place to live,” he said.

According to a council memo, engineering staff is working up site plans for each of the seven locations in order to obtain permitting approvals from the Planning and Code Enforcement Department.

A Lewiston city map depicts where all seven public restrooms will be installed this fall. They are near Simard-Payne Memorial Park at 46 Beech St., Sunnyside Park at 132 Winter St., Pettingill School Park at 411 College St., Lionel Potvin Park at 1 Cedar St. and Mike McGraw Park on 280 Bartlett St. City of Lewiston

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