New East Village public washroom, aiming to address past issues, opens alongside new pickleball courts

Residents in Calgary's East Village can now enjoy a new space to pick up one of the fastest growing sports in the country.

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City officials held a grand opening ceremony for "The Open," a new pickleball court near the intersection of Seventh Avenue and Sixth Street S.E. on Thursday.

The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) broke ground on the project last March.

Public washroom

The 3,000-square-foot facility also includes a new public washroom building to replace one built in 2012, but later closed due to "inappropriate behaviour" from residents, officials said.

Outdoor public washrooms in Calgary’s downtown have a troubled history, with several facilities being closed or dismantled due to social disorder.

However, the CMLC is hoping to change that narrative with the East Village facility.

The Open

The Open, which cost $2.2 million to build, includes four gender-neutral washrooms and features a living green roof with natural grasses and a tiered spectator area.

“This isn’t just a public washroom,” said Clare LePan, CMLC’s vice-president of communications. “The adjoining pickleball court offers a unique community space, while the washrooms are designed with safety and cleanliness in mind.”

LePan highlighted the addition of washroom attendants as a key measure to prevent the problems that plagued previous facilities. 

“We’ve learned that having a washroom attendant program really helps improve cleanliness, enhances the sense of safety, and deters unwanted behaviour.” 

The attendants are hired through Radicare, an agency focused on providing opportunities for Calgary’s vulnerable population. 

Bill Zheng, co-founder of Radicare, emphasized the importance of empathy in the attendants’ roles.

 “This should help them build rapport with the community and decrease instances of social disorder,” he said. “This comprehensive training ensures that Radicare's team has the confidence and expertise to support vulnerable populations with dignity and respect while ensuring the safety of the general public.”

Designed with safety in mind

LePan also highlighted the buildings' design as a safety feature 

“When you look at The Open you'll see right from the street, you can see into a common vestibule where the hand-washing stations are," she said. "The four stalls of the actual washroom facility are as enclosed as you would expect them to be, for privacy and all those types of considerations."

“But it was important that those sight lines from the street looking in and from being in the facility looking out were maintained so that you're not coming into a facility that you're not sure what's in it before you open the door.”

The CMLC said the developer of the facility, Winnipeg's Public City, worked with Calgary police and outreach organizations to come up with a design that would address safety concerns and integrate crime prevention principles.

'Sorely needed'

Residents of the East Village have welcomed the new facility. “It’s sorely needed,” said local resident Reggie Soosay “The other washrooms in the area are only open for a few hours a day, and after that, they’re chained up.”

The new washrooms are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the pickleball court available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The CMLC has indicated that hours at The Open may be adjusted as summer approaches. The staffing initiative is part of a one-year pilot project, with an estimated cost of $345,000.

It cost approximately $1 million, with all funding coming from the CMLC's community revitalization levy.