By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Cobourg council had a split vote this week on whether to leave the ground-floor accessible washroom at Victoria Hall unlocked, though the motion to do so did pass.
Chief Administrative Officer Tracey Vaughan stressed the importance staff place on accessibility and the town’s support of its workers’ health and safety, while acknowledging there are issues.
Councillor Brian Darling was more explicit.
“One of my concerns is the ability for someone to go and lock themselves in. We all know we have a bit of a drug-use problem, as do many communities. They lock the door and access narcotics of some sort. Later on, we open the door and find a corpse in it,” Darling said.
“I think it opens the town up to huge issues as far as liability.”
Darling suggested investigating alternatives, such as some kind of renovations.
“I find it difficult to support this,” he stated.
He acknowledged the inconvenience faced by those who must look around to get someone to provide a key, but preferred to retain this system.
“For everyone concerned, I think this is the safest way.”
Deputy Mayor Suzanne Seguin agreed, saying that the inconvenience someone experiences looking for a key is offset by preservation of a safer situation for all.
“I think the safety of all our citizens is potentially at risk, and I will not be supporting this motion,” she said.
In the end, however, Darling and Seguin were outvoted.
