WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: Following bathroom vandalism, steel loos to be installed in Flintstone Park (VIDEO)

Rachel Rosen reports from the Oak Harbor City Council’s workshop meeting of Jun. 30, 2022.

Relief is coming to Oak Harbor’s Flintstone Park in the form of bright-and-shiny Portland loos.

Last week, there was yet another act of vandalism and extensive damage to the current public bathrooms at the Bayshore Drive park. During a council workshop meeting Wednesday, Project Manager Brett Arvidson said the city is not spending any more money to repair them. For now, the park is relying on port-a-potties.

“We’ve had a long history of vandalism and bad behavior down there,” Arvidson said. “So the Portland loos are a much more efficient solution for that.”

They Said It

At the meeting, Councilmember Jim Woessner brought up a concern about people in wheelchairs being able to access the bathrooms as there is no ramp where the new loos will be located. [Project Manager Brett] Arvidson said a curb cut could be put there.

Councilmember Dan Evans was concerned about the aesthetics of leaving the concrete slab of the old bathrooms after they’re torn down.

“I don’t think that’ll look very attractive for our waterfront park,” Evans said.

[Responding to discussion that removal of the slab would put the project over budget,] Evans said that if the project needed more money after the bid comes in and the cost is over $75,000, it can be discussed further.