Residents and neighbours of the so-called Tent City for Change held a ribbon-cutting to mark the arrival of two port-a-potties this morning.

It was a tongue-in-cheek gesture aimed at coaxing Mayor Danny Breen to visit the encampment located behind the Colonial Building and bordering Bannerman Park.

Breen told media this week that he has yet to visit the site.

The portable bathrooms were delivered late Friday afternoon, compliments of NAPE and supportive neighbours, after the city and province refused to supply them.

Last week the city closed the nearby public washrooms following repeated vandalism and other damage, stating staff were refusing to clean and repair them.

But the city announced late Friday that those washrooms would be reopening as of 4 p.m. today, and would be staying open around the clock, due to “additional resources arranged in collaboration with the province” such as enhanced cleaning and security.

Daniel Smith, speaking for the tent city residents and neighbours, says it doesn’t excuse the move to close them in the first place.

“The fact that they made that boneheaded decision to begin with … when they did that the residents got together and had a chat about what we could do to get the mayor down here, because he hasn’t been here yet, and the work was already in play to get the port-a-potties,” he said. “Somebody said the mayor shows up for ribbon-cutting ceremonies, why don’t we do that?

“So this is part of a celebration here today but also a message to the mayor to come down and speak to some of the most vulnerable citizens in the city. But it’s pretty disappointing.”

Smith says the port-a-potties will stay, just in case the public washrooms are closed again.

Tent City this morning prior to “ribbon-cutting” for new port-a-potties. City reopening public bathrooms in Bannerman Park at 4 p.m. pic.twitter.com/FtsF2gMudC

— VOCM News (@VOCMNEWS) December 2, 2023