City
The TTC showcases new washrooms (and promises to keep them clean)
The TTC showcased the pristine-looking washroom at Finch station earlier today in an effort to draw some attention to a project that will see such facilities improved and ugraded along the entire subway line. As far as press conferences go, it was hard to know where to place this one. As ridiculous as it seems to be covering the toilet beat, anyone who's suffered the ignominy of using a TTC washroom for more than 30 seconds knows that improvement in this area is oddly a big deal.
Janitors were mopping up and wiping down sinks as media gathered, all eager to take a peak (get a sniff?) of the revitalized washroom — which I'm happy to report would have made Mr. Clean himself proud. TTC Chair Karen Stintz and newly crowned CEO Andy Byford made sure to establish that this is all part of a recommitment to customer service, which sounds fair enough as long as the place stays clean. I'm thinking an unannounced check-up visit in a couple of weeks is in order, no?
Although the bathrooms at Finch have been open since February 6, today's get together was as much about the plans to renovate — and sanitize — the other public relief options along the line. Customers can look forward to the following upgrades at various TTC washrooms in the coming months:
- Wall tile replacement
- Floor finishes
- Hand dryers
- Heater replacements
- New urinals
- New ventilation that exceeds Ontario Building Code requirements
- New patritions
- Lighting and signage upgrades
All this sounds great, but perhaps the most significant change will come in the form of increased attention to maintenance. The frequency with which washrooms will now be restocked and cleaned has been bumped to every 90 minutes from the scary 4.5 hour interval that was previously mandated.
So while this washroom isn't as impressive as the automated pay toilet on Queen's Quay, it's still an obvious improvement. What do you think? Is this a step in the right direction for TTC customer service?
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Kipling, Bloor-Yonge, Warden, Kennedy, Eglinton, Sheppard-Yonge, Finch, Downsview, Wilson and Don Mills.
They're in front of the sinks. Did you think they just decided to tile in front of the sinks with a different pattern?
Also who decided on the Dyson hand dryers? Those won't last a month before someone yanks them off the wall, they've practically got a removal handle built in.
But seriously, I don't envy the person tasked with keeping these things in working order. And I pray that I'll never be desperate enough to test the facilities out.
I agree, the TTC should look more into safety when upgrading the washrooms. One example, the lighting in the the don mills station washroom is horrible!
They will be destroyed in no time.
I live next to Ryerson for 10 years have seen what those little darlings are capable of.
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And never miss a deal ever again! ;)
And to the guy who says those hand-dryers shoot water back up into your face, I think you should just acknowledge you're vertically challenged so that's just what happens to you regularly. I'll Fedex you some platform shoes.
I suggest using soap. Then rinsing, then drying.
After walking into the womens toilets at Yonge/Bloor once and being treated to the site of feces literally sprayed all over the seat and up the wall of one of the stalls, I'd rather hold it. I've been a regular TTC rider since the late 1970s and can count on the fingers of one hand the times I've had to use a TTC washroom out of sheer desperation. Yes, they're THAT disgusting.
I agree with others though - they are going to be ripped off the walls shortly.