Hamilton staff apologizes to Stoney Creek Optimist Little League for not installing washrooms at parks

Hamilton staff have apologized for failing to install temporary washrooms at five Stoney Creek parks to allow little league baseball players to use them before the end of the 2022 season.

At the Aug. 10 public works committee meeting, councillors agreed to a motion introduced by Stoney Creek Coun. Brad Clark to spend just over $4,000 to provide accessible portable washroom facilities at Cherry Heights Park, Albion Estates Park, Ferris Park, Green Acres Park and Paramount Park. The washrooms were for the 2022 season until Oct. 31.

Martin Talbot, the former president of Stoney Creek Optimist Little League, told Clark in an email in July that the lack of washrooms at the parks has been a constant complaint" from parents. He stated that the league pays a fee to use the diamonds, yet there are no bathrooms available for the players, who range in age from four to 11 years.

They have to leave the game and go to a nearby store (to use a washroom)," said Talbot in an interview. It's not fair to the kids."

But after council approved spending the money in August, as reported by the Stoney Creek News, the washrooms did not appear at the parks and the league season ended on Sept. 1. The league held its annual general meeting on Sept. 12, where the question of the washrooms was raised.

I drove to all the parks mentioned, and I do not see one washroom at any of the parks," said Talbot, who read the Stoney Creek News article in September and was surprised that council approved the funding for the washrooms.

He said nobody" from the city told him about the funding.

During a visit to Paramount Park in late August by the Stoney Creek News, there were two blue portable washrooms near the parking lot. But Talbot said they were for work staff and had been locked to the public.

Clark, in response to Talbot's email, apologized for the delay and stated, I can understand your frustration with the time lags."

He said the motion was rushed to get it approved by the next council meeting, which was in early August.

In my opinion, councillors acted expeditiously to get the loos into the parks for the kids," he stated.

Kara Bunn, manager of parks and cemeteries, told Talbot that the city's vendor refused to service one of the parks," so staff were told to search for another vendor and somehow it fell off their radar when it was so late in the season." Bunn also blamed staff shortages and an overwhelming" year that resulted in the request for washrooms falling by the wayside.

The $4,000 remains in an account and Bunn said the washrooms would be installed for the 2023 season.

But Talbot wanted the city to use the money to help pay for a new fence at Optimist Park in Stoney Creek. He said the fence was installed in 1989.

He said that over the season, because of holes that have been cut out, we find all kinds of drug paraphernalia, including needles inside the dugouts, campers high when we arrive, sitting on our diamonds, and dog owners not picking up feces."

Bunn agreed to meet with Talbot and other Stoney Creek Optimist Little League officials after the municipal election to discuss future repairs or other improvements to the parks. She said the city will look to repair the fence.

Talbot, who did praise the city for upgrading Optimist Park's infield, said Stoney Creek Optimist Little League doesn't want repairs because there is patch work done everywhere on our fences."

Talbot, who is now the past president of the league, appreciated staff took ownership" of the issue.

I appreciate that. And I look forward to updating the parks. But we need new fencing. That is a major need for us."

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: We wanted to take a closer look at the situation after noticing promised temporary washrooms were not installed as planned at Stoney Creek parks.