Parks committee asks staff to study earlier openings, staggered closings for automated shelter bathrooms

The Parks Committee on a split meeting referred to staff a plan to study earlier opening hours and staggered evening lock times for park-shelter bathrooms that use automated locks, after months of public complaints about locked restrooms.

Alder James Galvin urged the committee to require that “all the shelters with automated locks [open] at sunrise” and that locks close at “sunset or when the parks are closed for the day,” saying parents and caregivers have had to leave games because bathrooms were locked. "I see little children running into the bushes to go to the bathroom," Galvin said, describing repeated incidents at youth fields and neighborhood parks.

Parks staff said the department already opens many shelters in late March or early April when the weather allows and aims to have everything open by May 20 in a typical spring, but explained the schedule is constrained by equipment, weather and staffing. "Right now we have anything with an automatic lock, we open at 7 a.m.; we could go a little bit earlier if we wanted to," Parks Director Dan said. He described one city plumber who must turn water on at dozens of facilities and respond to repairs across departments, and noted the department staggers evening lock times — some at 7 p.m., some 7:30, 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. — so crews can inspect shelters after they lock and make sure no one remains inside. Staff said employees typically work until about 10:30 p.m., which affects how many shelters can be checked after closing.

Committee members weighed safety and vandalism concerns against public access. Galvin said exceptions such as heightened vandalism at some school‑adjacent shelters (he cited Joanny's and Fisk) mean those sites remain closed during school hours, but he pressed for a consistent citywide rule for automated shelters. Staff noted specific exceptions already in place: Murphy Park’s timer is set to 6 a.m. to serve an early pickleball group, and the Metro boat launch opens earlier for fishermen in summer.

The committee approved a motion to refer the request to staff to “consider options” — including trying earlier opening times such as 6 a.m. and continued staggered closings — and to report back to the Parks Committee after the summer season with findings and recommendations. Members indicated the report should include how the change would interact with staffing, repair duties and vandalism risk. "We can experiment with different things and see what works best," a committee member said.

The referral passed with all members present voting yes. Committee members also noted that any formal schedule change that requires budget or staffing adjustments would need later Common Council consideration; committee chair and staff said they would draft precise motion language and forward findings to the council as appropriate.

The Parks Committee indicated the Common Council will see committee referrals later this month; staff said they will return with implementation options and data on how a pilot of earlier openings and staggered closings performed.