Vandalism, unsafe needles lead to closure of washrooms at O-Train Line 1 stations

Vandalism and drug use concerns have forced OC Transpo to close the bathrooms along Line 1 of the LRT. CTV’s Katelyn Wilson reports.

OC Transpo says it is undertaking a risk assessment for all washrooms along O-Train Line 1, which have been closed for weeks because of vandalism and drug use.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa on Tuesday, OC Transpo Chief Safety Officer Sabrina Pasian confirmed a risk assessment is underway to determine the best ways to keep the washrooms safe.

In a post on Facebook on Monday, Barrhaven East Coun. Wilson Lo said he’s received several questions about the prolonged closure of washrooms on Line 1, saying that “needles were discovered placed in an intentional way that could cause harm to staff and customers.”

Pasian said OC Transpo was aware of the incident Lo was referencing, saying the matter is being handled internally by OC Transpo’s Special Constables Unit, and not the Ottawa Police Service, and that the investigation remains ongoing.

“The initial incident occurred on February 20 at Bayview Station. Upon discovery, the washroom was closed immediately. For safety reasons, we are not providing specific details on placement or quantities at this time,” she wrote.

An alert went out to customers on Feb. 20, saying all Line 1 washrooms were closed due to vandalism.

“In response to this and a broader increase in vandalism and needle use, washrooms across Line 1 are currently closed. We are assessing both short- and longer-term measures, including enhanced monitoring, public messaging, and the installation of secure needle disposal boxes as part of a harm reduction approach,” Pasian said.

“Our Special Constables Unit continues to focus on maintaining a safe transit system while also supporting vulnerable individuals. We recognize the inconvenience caused to customers and transit riders when the washrooms are closed and will continue to keep them informed as we work to restore access.”

Line 1 has bathrooms at four stations: Tunney’s Pasture, Bayview, Hurdman, and Blair. There was no word on when the washrooms might reopen.

“A risk assessment is currently underway in coordination with internal teams and timelines are still being determined as we validate options and associated costs,” Pasian said.

The washroom at Limebank Station on O-Train Line 2 is open.

Solutions could include technology, staffing

Lo tells Newstalk 580 CFRA’s Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron that there are some measures being explored that could make a short-term difference.

“I’ve seen some public washrooms where they use blue lights that make it difficult for drug users,” he said, referring to blue lights making it harder for intravenous drug users to find veins.

“If we’re talking about law enforcement, is it actual law enforcement or is it something like the ANCHOR program that can be expanded onto the transit system?”

The ANCHOR program is a non-911 service that can be used to call for a team of social workers who can respond to mental health or substance use crises that do not require a police response. It’s available in Centretown and is set to expand into Lowertown, Vanier, and Overbrook later this year.

Rideau Transit Maintenance handles maintenance of the washrooms on Line 1, while security is managed by OC Transpo special constables.

In the longer term, Lo says it comes down to broader social issues that need to be addressed.

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“Some things will address the immediate issue and will have to keep being used to addressed the immediate issues as they come up, but you’ll also have to solve everything that’s at the root of this, as well,” he said.

Bessa Whitmore, with the GottaGo Campaign, a grassroots group of residents that advocates for broader access to public toilets in Ottawa, told CFRA that technology and human staffing could help, but it would need funding commitments from all levels of government. She also said there are still broader issues to consider.

“In the end, it’s a much larger problem that we all have deal with. There’s mental health issues, there’s drug use issues, there’s homelessness issues. Those are larger issues. Opening and closing toilets and putting staffing there will solve some of it, but, in the end, we, as a society, have to deal with the larger issue,” she said.

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Whitmore said washrooms could be staffed, if done right.

“We pay our garbage collectors. People in airports clean toilets. If you pay people well, supervise them well, and treat them with respect, there’s a good job there. We need human beings there to not only watch out but also to interact with people who are obviously in distress.”