Susan Cloke, the chair of Santa Monica's Recreation and Parks Commission, said in a City Council meeting last week that she wants the city's beach bathrooms to "reflect character and fun and history," and show "who we are as a city and what we stand for and where we've been and where we're going." Maybe that's a lot to ask of a beach bathroom, but the city is working on it, replacing seven of the bathrooms and renovating an eighth, all between the 800 and 2800 blocks of the beach. The City Council reviewed conceptual designs last week. The original drive for new structures was less about personality and more about compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act--the city was sued for violations in 2005, and the replacements and renovations are actually part of the settlement agreement, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects will design the facilities, which will have a central spine separating women's and men's rooms, both of which will have individual stalls and be passively ventilated. There will also be surf board lean walls, bike racks, water fountains, seating, and several tools for washing the sand off (sinks, showers, foot washes). The budget is $3 million and construction will start next fall.
· Making beach bathrooms more inviting [SMDP]
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