By SHANNON HAUGLAND
By Sentinel Staff
As part of its plan to handle the large increase in cruise ship visitors this summer, the city is offering grants of $1,000 and more to businesses and other entities that will open their bathrooms to the public.
The city posted the grant application on its website Thursday. Grant amounts will start at $1,000 per approved application. The city’s tourism office, Visit Sitka, is to direct visitors to the locations of the public facilities using maps, social media, websites, signage and information kiosks.
Increasing the availability of restrooms in downtown Sitka was determined an important component of the Short-Term Tourism Plan which was adopted by the Assembly to mitigate the increased number of visitors in the downtown corridor this summer, the city said in its announcement.
The city website says the $1,000 grant program “has been budgeted to incentivize and compensate existing entities to open their toilet facilities to the public during the 2022 summer cruise ship season.”
Existing facilities will be available to the public at Harrigan Centennial Hall, the library, city hall, and at the city’s permanent stand-alone restrooms at the corner of Lincoln Street and Harbor Drive, under the O’Connell bridge, and in Crescent Harbor Park, where there are two.
The city Public Works Department said today that three portable stand-alone units with flush toilets and sinks are on order. Their placement hasn’t yet been decided, Public Works Director Michael Harmon said.
Applicants seeking grants for making their restrooms available to the public this summer must agree to:
– keep the facilities available to the public during the hours the business or entity is open from May 1 to September 30, 2022.
– make the location of the restroom known to visitors and the public via signs, maps, websites, social media, and visitor information centers.
– place signs provided by Visit Sitka on a highly visible door or window between May 1 and Sept. 30.
– keep the facilities in good working order, clean, and appropriately stocked.
Grant applications can be downloaded www.cityofsitka.com.
