Bellingham wants more restrooms downtown. These might just be the solution

Downtown Bellingham could be getting more restrooms in the near future, an amenity that’s been sorely needed, according to city officials and business owners.

Mayor Seth Fleetwood asked the City Council to make downtown restrooms a priority in budget discussions last fall, said Eric Johnston, director of the Public works Department.

“The mayor is supportive of supplying the downtown with safe and clean restrooms,” Johnston told The Bellingham Herald.

Public Works officials are examining the idea and are planning a presentation to the City Council next month, he said.

Details such as cost and location were still being worked out, but one consideration is the Portland Loo, a kiosk-like toilet with graffiti-proof walls and a design that discourages crime.

They cost between $185,000 and $200,000 plus installation.

Such a Portland Loo is budgeted for 2024 at Waypoint Park near the iconic Acid Ball and Granary Building.

Only two city-owned and maintained restrooms are available to the public downtown — at Deport Market Square and in the Commercial Street parking garage popularly called the Parkade.

Public restrooms also are available at the Whatcom Transportation Authority bus depot downtown at Railroad Avenue and Magnolia Street.

Savvy downtown shoppers know how to find a restroom, but the lack of public facilities is a deterrent to tourists and occasional visitors, said Jenny Hagemann of the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, a business and civic organization.

“We definitely like the idea of more restrooms and there’s definitely demand,” Hagemann told The Herald.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm (among business owners) around bathrooms. It’s the difference between people spending an hour downtown and spending an afternoon,” she said.