A unique example of a privately owned and operated restroom that serves the public 24/7.
Portland has a unique example of a privately owned and maintained “public restroom”. In its building at 111 W Burnside in Old Town Chinatown, the Portland Rescue Mission runs a state of the art facility which is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Two stalls in the attractive lobby of their service center serve more than 400 people a day. While most of the users are PRM’s homeless clients, this attractive attended facility also welcomes local residents, downtown workers, commuters and tourists.
A case study of the Portland Rescue Mission’s restroom project appears as part of a December 2008 paper entitled “Public Restrooms and Community Need: Advocacy and Implementation in Portland, Oregon” Researcher Mary-Rain O’Meara makes the case that “being able to access a toilet is a fundamental aspect of community development because it ensures that all people can move freely in their city and relieve themselves with dignity.”