Pay toilets
Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2012 1:30 pm
I'm still a young man yet I'm old enough to remember pay toilets in British Columbia. I recall going to the Army and Navy, Woodward's and such when we lived Vancouver, and when out shopping with mom, needing to get a nickel from her to go to the bathroom. I was pretty young then but still recall comments about how "progressive" BC was in passing legislation making pay toilets illegal. No more lyrics could be written like the age old "Here I sit, broken hearted. Paid a nickel and only farted."
The first pay toilet I've seen in British Columbia in close to fifty years was on our drive yesterday to Port Renfrew and Lake Cowichan, and it was at a GOVERNMENT recreation site of all places. About two hours into our drive, we decided it was time for a piddle; because we were still in a fairly built up area, we decided to stop at a beach side government recreation / camp site and use the pit toilet (outhouse). The park attendant walked out as we approached and talked to us. The site was open with a $10 overnight fee and a clearly labelled sign said it was $1 to use the biffy. I didn't ask if it was one dollar each, or for the group, it didn't matter, we didn't stay. Instead we drove a few miles farther up the road and made use of a convenient tree trunk.
The first pay toilet I've seen in British Columbia in close to fifty years was on our drive yesterday to Port Renfrew and Lake Cowichan, and it was at a GOVERNMENT recreation site of all places. About two hours into our drive, we decided it was time for a piddle; because we were still in a fairly built up area, we decided to stop at a beach side government recreation / camp site and use the pit toilet (outhouse). The park attendant walked out as we approached and talked to us. The site was open with a $10 overnight fee and a clearly labelled sign said it was $1 to use the biffy. I didn't ask if it was one dollar each, or for the group, it didn't matter, we didn't stay. Instead we drove a few miles farther up the road and made use of a convenient tree trunk.