Four years to rebuild the Woodlands Park bathroom?

“Whereas,” her motion says, “staff have already identified that both permanent repair and replacement options are estimated currently to require up to three to four years to fully implement …”

Hold on a sec.

Three to four years? To build — or re-build — a bathroom?

Last summer, the Buffalo Bills began construction on a new $1.54-billion, 60,000-seat stadium. It’s going to be done by 2026. That’s three years. Yet a simple public lavatory in Hamilton is potentially going to take longer than that?

“I definitely don’t know what could possibly take that long,” says Coun. John-Paul Danko. “You’re not building the Eiffel Tower there.”

Last week, a staff report said partial demolition of the fire-damaged roof will soon happen, which will allow for a structural assessment of the building by an outside engineer.

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• Dec 31, 1969
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• Dec 31, 1969
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That report is expected to be filed by May, which Nann has previously said “seems excessively long.” 

Following that, her motion says there will be “robust public engagement” around future plans for the park. Then there’s the job of getting the washroom built. That all takes time.

But three or four years? For a basic building with some walls, a roof, some sinks and some toilets on a site the city already owns with existing hydro and plumbing? How?

“ … due to lead time required for legislative requirements such as development applications, permits, engineered designs and competitively tendered construction, as well as the subsequent time required to complete construction,” the motion continues.

If a private company asked a contractor to build them a standalone bathroom remotely resembling what was there and was told it would take this long to complete, the builder would almost certainly be laughed out of the office.

But city hall?

“Glaciers are now melting faster than some things get done in the city,” says Coun. Brad Clark.

Even for folks who cynically expect that government projects will take longer and cost more, this will surely push the limits of the imagination.

Danko suggests the city should still have the drawings for the existing building, which would actually save time and money. Use those with some updates for current requirements and work possibly could be expedited.

In the meantime, because things are apparently going to take so long, Nann’s motion calls for the city to lease or purchase a “prefabricated semi-permanent washroom” for the park. This would take the place of the single portable toilet currently on site that’s generally available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This would be a pilot project to see how it works and whether it could be done elsewhere.

While the anticipated cost — tabbed at “less than $350,000” — is unquestionably a lot of money for a temporary loo, the motion suggests it’s expected to be covered by insurance along with some other costs related to the permanent building, including structural engineering fees, design fees, due diligence and some other things.

Thank goodness. After all, you’ll recall the original damage estimate was pegged at $500,000. And a new public washroom at Mountain Drive Park cost $1.2 million. So anything that helps save taxpayers’ dollars is good.

Nann couldn’t be reached for comment on Monday. And the general manager of public works, who’s spoken about this Woodlands situation previously, was unavailable. So it’s difficult to say why the whole thing could take so long.

Nobody expects a city project to be completed overnight. That’s not realistic. But requiring as long as four years?

“There’s no reason why something that simple should take that long,” Danko says.