Mission Bay bathrooms reopen after outcry
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Closed no more. Photo: Kate Murphy/Axios
After just a month, the closed bathrooms in Mission Bay Park will be open once again.
The big picture: Mayor Todd Gloria reversed the closures of 13 park bathrooms after public outcry.
- The bathrooms were initially closed to save money, but will be back open starting Friday.
Follow the money: The city had said the closures would save $546,000 a year, mostly in cleaning and maintenance costs.
- Gloria said Wednesday that the city would make up those costs with a higher-than-expected state grant and contributions from two council districts that include Mission Bay.
"This does solve our immediate problem, but it does not solve the gap between our resources it takes to keep city services at the service levels that San Diegans expect," Gloria said at a news conference Wednesday. "Ultimately, San Diegans want services that they can count on, and to provide them, the city needs revenues that it can count on."
Flashback: The bathrooms were closed beginning July 6 after the holiday weekend.
- People soon began hanging signs on bathroom doors with elected officials' phone numbers.
- "If you are outraged as I am, please contact the mayor and all city councilmembers," one sign read.
Between the lines: Gloria's political opponents have made hay of the closures over the past month.
- City Councilmember Raul Campillo, a likely candidate for mayor in 2028, has made the bathroom closures a top issue and pushed the city to use funds freed up from a ballot measure to pay for the reopenings.
- Former City Councilmember Donna Frye sent the mayor's office a picture of poop, according to Voice of San Diego.
- "This Kodak Moment is from Mission Bay Park this morning near one of the closed bathrooms," her letter said, per Voice. "Please share with the mayor."
Context: This is another reversal on fees to balance the budget.
- The city also backtracked on charging for parking in Balboa Park and lowered fees for trash pickup.
Yuck factor: Sometimes closed bathrooms were left open, so people were using them even though they weren't being cleaned.
- We found one bathroom in Tecolote Shores that met this description.
- We have photo evidence, but we'll spare you.
After we asked the city about the disgusting bathroom, it was cleaned and locked.
What's next: Gloria said the bathrooms will be open through the end of the year and the city will reevaluate whether it still has the funds to keep them open after that.