Township, WrightHaven partner on washroom

ELORA – WrightHaven Homes is building a new public accessible washroom at South Ridge Park in Elora.

WrightHaven homes will be taking on all the costs to build the washroom.

“Essentially our reason or motivation for doing it is just a thank you to council and staff and sort of a gratitude for all the efforts that you put into us,” Steven Wright said at the Sept. 30 council meeting.

Once the washroom is constructed WrightHaven homes will display its sign on the side of the building for 20 years and the township will assume the facility for public use and will take over maintenance, cleaning and opening and closing of the washroom.

The report states that it’s proposed that the washroom can operate with solar panels, which “would save both capital and operating expenses for this washroom facility for the township, and will reduce the environmental footprint.”

The washroom is scheduled to be built this year.

“It’s a really great opportunity for a public/private partnership ... all the users of South Ridge Park will be able to use this washroom,” said managing director of corporate service Pat Newson.

This is the second such partnership for Centre Wellington.

A township  washroom opened at Forfar Park in Fergus earlier this year was built by Eric Van Grootheest of The Van Grootheest Team, Century 21 Exalibur Realty Brokerage Inc.

“Thanks very much to Steve and your team for putting this forward,” said Mayor Kelly Linton.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to not have this on the tax base and have an opportunity for a company like yourself to move forward and provide this asset to the community.”

South Ridge Park includes an accessible playground, soccer fields and parking.

Wright said it was nice to offer - rather than ask - council for something.

“This is a great opportunity for working with you as a partnership and we’re looking forward to working with the council and recreation department,” said Wright.