Cork deals with restroom scarcity. Councillors propose new facilities as existing ones remain unknown to many residents.
The council discussed Cork’s lack of restrooms and noted a decline over the years. Now, you can find only two true public toilets in Cork. Some consider six if you count others.
North Main Street shopping centre has one, and the Cornmarket Centre also has one. But these are more like shop facilities. The bus station and English Market have toilets, too.
True public toilets are rare. One is in Fitzgerald Park. Another is a secret near the Cork City Library. It’s on Grand Parade, hidden away.
Councillors discussed this issue as Noel O’Flynn and Pádraig Rice spoke. An elderly tourist had an accident this summer because he couldn’t find a toilet.
They mentioned bad signage. The Grand Parade toilet is a key example as locals often pass it unknowingly every day.
The entrance is to the right of the library. A small sign shows the hours. You ring a doorbell for access, and a person lets you in. You pay 50c using contactless payment.
The toilet is clean and accessible. It has baby changing.
Cllr Rice wants three new toilets each year, which would mean fifteen by 2030. Current city projects offer good spots, such as Bishop Lucey’s Park, which is being redeveloped.
The council CEO outlined her plans. Valerie O’Sullivan wants to tackle dereliction, build housing, and fight crime. Public toilets weren’t a big focus.