Potty talk still on the agenda

The end of another Naperville Municipal Band season wouldn't be complete without another plea for permanent restrooms for visitors at Central Park where the band performs.

Over the past few weeks, band director Ron Keller has made appearances at both city council and park board meetings to once again press his audience's pottyless plight.

In May, the council agreed to buy a restroom trailer that would be stationed at the park during events and used elsewhere downtown to help alleviate a growing problem with public urination. But the city has yet to pull the trigger on purchasing the trailer.

"When we made our recommendation to go with this type of restroom, they knew we couldn't get it in place for the 2007 concert season," said Dave Van Vooren, the city's public works director. "It's being bid right now."

Expected to cost around $50,000, the restroom trailer will provide lighting, multiple stalls, hand-washing capabilities and other amenities that traditional portable toilets do not.

The lack of a permanent facility has been a bone of contention since the 2002 dedication of the Community Concert Center, where the band plays all of its summertime concerts.

"This is no surprise that permanent restrooms are needed," Keller said. "We're there 12 times each summer, but there have been other groups that use the concert center that need restrooms."

Keller said the lack of a clean, well-lit restroom is the chief complaint of most concertgoers.

Some councilmen suggested the public be allowed access to the restrooms inside the concert center, but Keller claims that would be noisy and confusing. He also said with only one toilet for each gender on the first floor, it's not an adequate solution.

When councilmen suggested the public be allowed to use the more numerous restrooms in the basement dressing rooms, Keller said that would create security concerns and safety issues for the large numbers of senior citizens who attend the concerts.

With the new trailer slated to be in place for the 2008 concert season, the council will want reports about its effectiveness before moving forward with costlier permanent facilities.

"It has a benefit beyond Central Park because we can always use it somewhere else or sell it," Van Vooren said.

He expects the city to finalize a deal for the trailer by the first of the year.