A parent cut short a visit to a downtown park because the nearest public bathroom was locked. An older resident avoided a long bus trip for the same reason. A delivery worker searched several businesses before finding one willing to allow access. None of these decisions appeared in official data, but together they shaped who could comfortably use the city.
Public bathrooms are often treated as minor conveniences. In reality, they affect whether people can travel, work, exercise, attend events, or remain in public spaces for more than a short time. Their absence is especially difficult for children, pregnant people, older adults, disabled people, and those managing medical conditions.
Availability alone is not enough. A facility must be open at predictable hours, easy to locate, and maintained regularly. Doors, stalls, sinks, lighting, and alarms should function. Accessible features should be usable rather than blocked by storage or poor design. Families also benefit from changing tables that are not limited to one gendered room.
Safety concerns are real, but permanent closure shifts the problem elsewhere. Good design can improve visibility near entrances while preserving privacy inside. Staffed facilities, routine cleaning, clear reporting systems, and partnerships with nearby institutions may reduce misuse more effectively than simply removing access.
Cities should publish locations and hours in maps, transport apps, and street signs. Temporary events need adequate facilities as well, including handwashing and accessible units. When a bathroom closes for repair, the public should be directed to the nearest alternative.
A welcoming city is judged partly by small moments of bodily need. People should not have to buy something, explain a diagnosis, or risk humiliation to use a toilet. Treating public bathrooms as essential infrastructure would make streets, parks, transit systems, and civic life more usable for everyone.
Public consultation should include the people who rely on these facilities most. Their experience can reveal whether a location feels safe after dark, whether cleaning schedules match busy periods, and whether signage is understandable. Designing from real use is more effective than counting facilities on a map and assuming the need has been met.
G. Hwang
