Letter
Bancroft restroom plan in ‘bad taste’
At a recent townhall meeting regarding the 100-foot creekside-camping setback ordinance, the common theme was the homeless and how it has gotten to the point of desperation and fear. Westsiders are afraid to use the parks, shop the shopping centers or use the Midland Trail. There was a concern expressed about those displaced by the 100-foot setback gravitating over to Red Rock Canyon. That is nothing compared to the gravitation to Old Colorado City and the new “state of the art” restroom facility soon to be built in Bancroft Park.The size and scope of this facility is way over the top for this small park. Bancroft already has a problem with “campers” and this restroom will compound the issue enormously. Our quaint historic district will be saturated and drive away tourists and shoppers beyond what is already happening. The park has been given a new nickname by the locals - Bumcroft Park. The placement of a large public restroom facility facing Colorado Avenue near the historic cabin is the epitome of bad taste and seriously detracts from the historic nature of the park. It's an insult to the Westside! The privacy protection, roominess, running water and self-cleaning feature will offer the perfect breeding ground for drug exchanges, sexual activity, trash, needle-dumping and prostitution. The existing portapots are stuffed with trash constantly. Fires happen in them. There was a reason the old restrooms with plumbing have been closed, except for special events. If you witness the shopping cart owners exiting the new public restroom after a prolonged 10-minute stay, will you go in? Will you allow your children to go in? The theory of nice facilities for tourists and shoppers is wonderful. The reality is they will not use them until we solve the homeless problem. This very expensive waste of money will go down in history as “The Boondoggle at Bancroft.” Judy Kasten |