City launching washroom attendant pilot project at two downtown parks

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In a transfer aimed toward making public areas safer, the Metropolis of Calgary is partnering with a group group to place washroom workers in two downtown parks this summer season.

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Beginning this month, the pilot venture will see a workers of not less than two and generally three folks monitoring the outside public washrooms at Olympic Plaza and Century Gardens.

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Workers from the Alberta Alliance Who Schooling and Advocate Responsibly, higher referred to as AAWEAR, will rent, supervise and practice the servants, who will work from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The attendants will clear lights and decide up litter, in addition to report incidents to the parks.

Kathleen Larose, the chief director of AAWEAR, stated they’ve employed 18 folks to work within the positions up to now. About 40 % of the folks employed have beforehand labored casually with AAWEAR, serving to them transfer into extra everlasting work.

“On this venture, we see it as a great way to supply employment alternatives for many who presently expertise boundaries to paid employment, in addition to for individuals who have gone by means of lived expertise and shall be finest in a position to help individuals who do reside on this park .”

Apart from these duties, the workers shall be skilled in abilities resembling CPR, first assist, non-violent disaster intervention and suicide prevention.

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The pilot is budgeted at $600,000. Downtown Parks Supervisor Carmen Hindson stated the price of launching a pilot is all the time greater, however stated if profitable, increasing this system to different metropolis loos can be decrease.

“It is lots of workers and it is 12 hours a day,” she stated. “AAWEAR pays these workers a residing wage. They aren’t paid a minimal wage.”

Town incurs some minor prices with this system, however the bulk of the $600.00 comes from the county.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek stated town has labored onerous to remodel downtown into a spot that’s busy and lively.

“We all know that to realize this we have to prioritize the protection of all park customers always of the day and to try this we have to take some vital steps.”

Gondek stated the attendees will make the area way more welcoming and secure, which is vital for folks attending occasions downtown.

Town stated the 2 parks had been chosen due to their central places, current public washrooms, previous incidents and knowledge collected from emergency providers, metropolis workers and outreach teams such because the Downtown Outreach Habit Partnership (DOAP) group.

That knowledge will present a baseline for measuring the success of the pilot, which is able to conclude in October.

brthomas@postmedia.com
Twitter: @brodie_thomas