Fairfax City Teams With Throne Labs To Find Short-Term Fix To Lack Of Public Bathrooms

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — When Mayor Catherine Read was running in the 2022 election, one of her campaign issues was to ensure that public bathrooms would be available to all those who visit the city's public spaces.

"I am the Mayor of Thrones," Read told Patch on Monday. "I am the bathroom queen or however you want to put it, but I ran on sidewalks and bathrooms."

In April, the city council approved $250,000 to fund the Fairfax City Parks and Recreation's seven-month pilot program with Throne Labs to place high-tech bathrooms in public spaces around the city.

The solar-powered Throne units are equipped with internet-connected sensors and mobile technology to monitor use and cleanliness.

Users can access the restroom with the Throne app or by texting the number of the unit on their cellphone. Each unit displays the number and a QR code to assist users. The city's three units are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Throne units are seen as a temporary solution as the council investigates other opportunities to install permanent bathrooms in the city's public spaces.

In June 2022, the city council approved the installation of a permanent bathroom facility at Draper Lane Park, but that facility is an exception.

"People just didn't recognize the fact that you've invested in 25 parks that have no bathrooms," Read said. "Fairfax County has a lot invested in a lot of parks, but they build bathrooms."

Read called it a matter of equity for all residents to be able access a public bathroom at the city's parks and gathering places.

"Where do men go to the bathroom? Pretty much anywhere they want," she said. "It's different for women. It is also different because women are managing periods, too. You wonder why girls drop out of athletics about the middle school time period? This is one of the reasons why. You provide no facilities for girls in sports to manage their bodily functions, so why are we surprised?"

Related: Permanent Restroom Facility Approved For Draper Drive Park In Fairfax

Throne Bathrooms have been installed at Van Dyck Park, Old Town Square, and in the parking lot of the former Hy-Way Motel on Fairfax Boulevard.

While the first two locations are on city property, the third is on private property owned by the Lamb Center. The day shelter for the city's unhoused residents is working with Wesley Housing to build 54 affordable housing units on the former motel site.

In the lead up to the city council's approval of the affordable housing project, business leaders and residents in the Fairfax Circle area complained about unhoused people relieving themselves in the open.

Parks and Recreation Director Stacey Sommerfield told the city council at its April 25 meeting that her department was working with the Lamb Center to provide an initial 50 cards to distribute to unhoused people who experienced difficulty accessing the Throne units.

Some of the Lamb Center's clients can't read the instructions on the Throne unit or may have difficulty texting to open the door, Sommerfield explained.