DAYTON — The City of Dayton unveiled a new public restroom downtown that has features to deter potential crime.
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It’s called a “Portland Loo” and the city’s first location is outside City Hall on North Ludlow Street.
City officials and police hope it will stop people from using the bathroom in public.
The single-occupancy restroom will be open daily and close at midnight.
It is stainless steel, and the wall panels are “graffiti-proof.”
There is open grating on the top and bottom of the restroom’s walls to allow bystanders to see if it is occupied and to prevent drug use and prostitution.
“These louvers are angled in such a way that doesn’t compromise privacy but does allow law enforcement the ability to observe the number of users inside,” according to Portland Loo’s website.
The city paid more than $46,000 for the installation of two of the loos and yearly maintenance will cost about $1,200.
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The second restroom will be installed on Fifth Street next week.
Some residents don’t think this addition will do much for the city.
“Didn’t work on the West Coast. They set out restrooms and their problems are even bigger now. But hey, that’s what happens when you throw money at it, and say hey a couple restrooms, expect it’s a bigger problem than that,” a Dayton resident said.
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