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SEATTLE - A recent audit has identified issues in the maintenance and availability of park restrooms managed by Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR). The findings highlight concerns in cleanliness, availability, and additional operational observations.
Big picture view:
The city manages nearly 500 parks, a recent audit checked for cleanliness and availability of 129 restrooms across 97 of those parks to "ensure they are open, clean, and safe year-round," according to the city auditor.
Dig deeper:
Funding and staffing resources for Seattle Parks and Recreation are currently reportedly strained by persistent graffiti removal needs.
Additionally, SPR is still recovering from the long arc of COVID-19-related funding and operational disruptions, as the department saw many programs paused.
Seattle restroom cleanliness concerns
The audit revealed that SPR is not meeting its target of cleaning every restroom two to three times a day. Additionally, there is a lack of consistent cleanliness across the city’s park restrooms, according to the report from the city auditor.
The report also noted that SPR lacks reliable data to effectively evaluate restroom maintenance performance.
For example, auditors found out during interviews that some restroom floors were being wet cleaned once daily, while others were only wet cleaned twice a week.
Availability issues at Seattle parks
Auditors say there were inconsistencies were found in the locking of park restrooms, with stated restroom hours not always being accurate.
On a visit to 50 park restrooms which were listed as open on the public dashboard, auditors found five were actually closed, and a couple did not have signage telling the public why they were closed.
"SPR’s staffing and budget challenges are contributing to inconsistency and confusion regarding the locking of park restrooms. Vandalism and staffing limitations are also causing SPR crews to spend more time responding to demand work instead of preventive maintenance," reads one section of the auditor's report.
Recommendations for Seattle Park and Recreation
The audit made six recommendations to address these issues. It suggested that SPR reassess its restroom cleanliness goals and resources, set consistent cleanliness expectations, and improve monitoring and data collection.
Additionally, the city auditor says SPR should review restroom opening and locking responsibilities to improve availability. Conducting a staffing analysis was also recommended to help meet preventive maintenance goals and address risks related to restroom renovation projects.
"Keeping restrooms open 24/7 can provide a vital service to the public; however, increased use can further burden cleaning and maintenance crews that are already struggling to keep restrooms in good condition," according to the report.
Seattle Parks and Recreation response
SPR generally agreed with the findings and recommendations outlined in the audit.
The Source: Information for this article comes from the City of Seattle.
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