A Kamloops councillor says the public washrooms being closed at the downtown library is putting negative pressure on businesses.

The Thompson Nicola Regional District reopened libraries six days ago, after being closed for five months because of COVID-19, but washrooms are still closed.

Denis Walsh says those washrooms should be open.

“The library is finally opening, but the public washroom is not for some reason. I have three young grandchildren, if I take them to the library, in five or 10 minutes one of them is going to want to go the washroom. I don’t understand how you have an assembly building without providing a washroom,” he says.

“If one of you could take that to the TNRD asking to please open the public washrooms. Because it’s also putting a ton of pressure – negative pressure – on businesses in the downtown core because of a lack of public washrooms. There’s a need for adequate public washroom facilities; not just for people using the library but in the downtown core.”

Walsh asked some of his colleagues at council who are board members with the TNRD to inquire if the public washrooms at the library can be reopened.

Mayor Ken Christian responded by saying it will be brought up to the chief librarian Judy Moore.