Lack of Public Toilets Causing a Stink in Vancouver

The piddling number of public toilets in Vancouver's downtown core can't keep up with the "piddling" number of Olympic fans.

Many of the city's partiers have been relieving themselves in out-of-the-way parks and alleyways.

Sanitation teams have been flushing the streets on a nightly basis to try to combat the smell of these unhygienic spots.

"We could feel the pressure building," said TransLink spokesman, Ken Hardie.

TransLink tried to respond to the sanitation issue on Saturday by installing 12 portable toilets outside the busy Waterfront station on Howe Street. But with hundreds of thousands in need of release, a handful of toilets just aren't going to meet the demand.

"It's unsightly and it's not just peeing," Councillor Kerry Jang said in an interview with 24 Hours News on Tuesday.

The city is instead encouraging visitors to seek out public toilets at local businesses. Most busy restaurants won't mind if you dash to the back to use the facilities, as long as you don't interfere with the service.

Hotels are another good bet. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver located downtown on the corner of Burrard and Georgia has beautiful washrooms in the lobby that are open to the public, even during late hours.

Pacific Centre shopping mall has public washrooms in the food court, but these facilities have seen long lines recently, so check out the restrooms near the entrance to Sears beside Mexx, instead.

The city hopes to have this problem under control soon. Until then, officials are thanking today's rainy weather for washing away some of the mess.