Aug
29
I would like to add my voice to that of S. Rackley, who, in the July-August James Bay Beacon letters, expressed his/her concerns about the James Bay Square mall washrooms now being locked.
I am a long-time senior resident of James Bay, and have been shopping in the stores in James Bay Square for many years.
Like others, I sometimes need to use the washroom when shopping, and usually used the one in the mall. A while ago, I was dismayed to find it locked, and accessible only by keying in a number code. There were two other people in the same predicament, an elderly woman, and a younger one.
This situation is a huge inconvenience for the elderly and handicapped. The elderly make up a large percentage of the James Bay population. Thrifty's staff washrooms are available to customers on request, but are difficult, and for some, impossible to get to, as they are on the second floor. And, because it's necessary to travel through the back room to get to the washrooms, where there are hazards, staff must escort customers to and from the facilities to ensure their safety. The mall washrooms are the only alternative.
It is indeed unfortunate that the mall owners have closed their washrooms to the public. Like Rackley writes, malls I've been to do not lock their washrooms. What this means, ultimately, is, some shoppers, those who cannot manage the stairs to Thrifty's washrooms, for whatever reason, and who need to use a washroom more often than most, will not be able to. This is real drag for them, not only because they won't be able to do their own personal shopping, but it makes an outing into the community more difficult than it already is. And that's a shame.
I hope that the mall owners rethink their decision, and appreciate the real hardship their action places on some members of our wonderful community.
L. Harris