Sure, it's small potatoes... until it's your three-year-old on the edge of a wet-pants freak-out.
As Madison residents spend this month furiously thinking up counterplans for using the $150,000 that our city commissioners are willing to entertain spending to subsidize a job-killing community thrift store, I submit one modest proposal, on behalf of the moms at the Thursday play-group: an outhouse at Totland Park.
Check that name: Totland Park. As in tots, the demographic with the least bladder control. Located in the totally residential northeast part of town, the little kids' park has no outhouse, no changing room, not even a public restroom or gas station within walking distance. There is a sandbox... but no, we don't want to go there. Parents facing the inevitable "Gotta go!" (and it will happen within ten minutes of arrival) who want their little ones to stay at the park long enough to work up a sweat have to send their kids to tinkle behind the greenery (and I've seen that happen).
We know the City of Madison is deeply concerned with stemming any tide of public urination. Yet the absence of public plumbing at Totland Park creates an awkward situation for our littlest whizzes. Let's avoid teaching them to blush in the bushes. Let's spend a fraction of Madison's mad money to plunk a porta-potty in the park. It can't cost that much; I'm sure that, compared to flushing $150 grand into a publicly subsidized junk store, it's a piddling expenditure.
I live on the corner of Maplewood Drive, just across the street from Totland Park. The park is very special to us and one of the big reasons we bought our house. When we moved to Maplewood Drive 8 years ago, many other young families were moving to this area and the park started seeing much more use, after being a quieter city park for a number of years. 5 different families, (including mine) came together to ask that the park be modernized with new equipment, more swings, another playcenter, etc.
When we asked the City if they could help, we were told there were limited funds. (This was in 2005). So, between 2005 and 2007, we raised money to put in new park equipment. The city park's department agreed to match whatever we raised. We ended up getting to spend almost $15,000 on fixing up the park. We were able to get the old swingset from Washington Elementary and fixed it up. We had volunteers install much of the equipment. Ted Lafluer and some boy scouts helped create the flower garden around the park bench we installed. Since 2007, the park has taken off with tons and tons of Tots and Parents stopping by everyday to play.
At the end of this process, we asked the parks department to consider installing bathrooms and a warming house for the ice skating rink. I still would like to see this happen.
I love all the traffic to my neighborhood. It is a great place for my three daughters to grow up. They meet and play with so many other kids. There have been times where I have had a knock on my door asking to use the bathroom because of an "emergency" or time when someone needs some first aid help, a bandaid or whatever. I am happy to help when I can, but agree that a bathroom facility would be great.
I also consider myself the unofficial watchman of the park. There have been times that I have had to go over to the park and talk to kids that were attempting to destroy or ruin our nice new equipment. Then I become the cranky old guy that yells "Who are your parents, give me their phone number, I am going to call them and tell them about your behavior."
I cannot agree more. Let's spend some money on fixing up our parks.
Ashley, you are one of my favorite cranky old guys. We all should consider ourselves the watchmen of our neighborhoods.
Neighbors can provide assistance... but we can all work together through our tax dollars to provide permanent assistance in the form of a park restroom.