Q&A
Council Member Brewer discusses Parks Department bathroom conditions and funding
1:05:54
·
3 min
Council Member Gale A. Brewer questions Matthew Drury from the Parks Department about the condition of park bathrooms and funding for improvements. Drury acknowledges the challenges and outlines the department's efforts to address bathroom maintenance and renovation.
- Brewer references a recent study highlighting poor conditions of park bathrooms
- Drury mentions ongoing renovation projects and investments in restroom repairs
- Discussion of different staffing models for bathroom maintenance, including fixed post staff
Gale A. Brewer
1:05:54
2nd, for the parks department.
1:05:57
So we just did a big study, sorry, a big study of bathrooms.
1:06:01
Did you see it?
1:06:02
We got a lot of press.
1:06:04
And the issue is, you know, they're in bad shape.
1:06:09
You need money.
1:06:11
How how are we gonna address this bathroom problem?
1:06:12
Because you'd have many more bathrooms to deal with this issue if the parts department would upgrade their quality.
1:06:20
And then the second question I have is Brian Park, Bella Abstract Park, they both have the best bathrooms in Manhattan, in the parks, just so you know, happen to know that.
1:06:29
Brian has an an attendant.
1:06:31
Does they have the funding for that.
1:06:33
So do you think you need attendance in the bathrooms in order to keep them up to date?
1:06:37
In which case you should say that?
Matthew Drury
1:06:40
So I'll thank you for the questions.
1:06:42
I'll take them in in two parts.
1:06:43
I think we we did see the council's report.
1:06:47
And, you know, I'll point out that the the the report notedly did did focus on 50, you know, 51 locations that Parks Parks own inspections found to be, you know, having a series of challenges in terms of maintenance, and it sounds as if the council's report bore that out.
1:07:05
And so we are constantly looking at ways of, you know, there are some facilities that are intensely used and a challenge to keep, you know, pristine.
1:07:12
And I and we're dedicated obviously to Our employees work tirelessly and are highly dedicated to keeping those.
1:07:18
So we thank the council efforts, you know, advocacy and its support in all these efforts, and, you know, we're we're hoping to work closely with you moving forward on on further efforts.
1:07:29
And as for the idea of attendance, there you know, there are oh, I guess, we were referred to it as fixed post staff.
1:07:34
Like, there is there is sort of a combination of models for our maintenance staff, but there are many locations.
1:07:39
I don't know that attendant is quite the right term because they would have maintenance or responsibility.
1:07:44
Throughout the park.
1:07:45
But certainly more steady presence is that we are quite often able to provide, and we're we're very proud of it.
Gale A. Brewer
1:07:50
Okay.
1:07:51
So are you I mean, I don't wanna belabor the point, but one bathroom I need is 13,000,000, and the other is 2.5, just to give you some numbers.
1:07:58
So but I guess my question is, as part of the public realm or as part of the parts department, what kind of focus is there for funding for these bathrooms at parks?
1:08:10
Because you need to fix them up.
Matthew Drury
1:08:13
For sure.
1:08:14
And as I I I think our chief public ground officer has pointed out that, you know, the city is in the process of of several renovation projects and new and construction of new restrooms throughout the city, and we're and and we're gonna continue to expand that effort even further.
1:08:26
So we're this this administration is investing, you know, 1,000,000 of 1,000,000 of dollars in in these restroom repairs.
1:08:32
Having said that, you know, we have over 700 public restroom buildings, you know, many of which have been around for, you know, ages.
1:08:37
And, you know, and like any other public facility, you know, they're they're gonna, you know, keeping it in a state of good repair does require that investment.
1:08:44
That's something we're dedicated to.
1:08:45
We work closely with the mayor's office and own b and making sure that we're investing wisely.
1:08:49
And, you know, there's always more to do.
1:08:51
We we, you know, we work so that's but that's a ongoing process.
1:08:53
That we're focused on.
