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posted October 18, 2006

COMPOST TOILET MISINFORMATION


composting toilet

Here are some important corrections to Carol Seljak’s flyer about the compost toilet being built beside the playground. For a copy of the original flyer and also for more detailed compost toilet information, see www.dufferinpark.ca, click on “cob courtyard.”

  1. The approval is not a secret. The owner of the park, i.e., Parks, Forestry and Recreation approved the project, in collaboration with Buildings and Toronto Public Health. Parks staff have been quite clear about this.
  2. height: the cob structure surrounding the toilet is not fifteen feet tall. Its slanted “green” roof will be 8 feet at its lowest point, 12 feet at its highest. There is only one building, not many.
  3. the description of the compost process is not accurate. The accurate description has been posted on the park web site since last June (see the link on the home page at www.dufferinpark.ca)
  4. Where such toilets are currently used: not only in remote areas, but along busy highways, and there’s one in downtown Vancouver. Edmonton is about to add some.
  5. Cost of a plumbed toilet: Toilet hookup in the park playground is not “readily available.” A playground washroom would cost close to $100,000, and the earliest the park would get one is in 2012. The money is not there, but the kids are there. This compost toilet will cost the City less than $10,000.
  6. Responsibility for upkeep and repairs: No mystery – it’s the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation. But friends of the park will most likely help, as they have for years. There’s a lot of interest in an environmentally-sound toilet that doesn’t add to the sewage sludge Toronto sends to Michigan, or to St.Thomas.
  7. Handwashing facilities near the toilet – not missing from the plan. Available at the cob courtyard across the path, well within public health boundaries.
  8. Complete details of the proposal were sent to the complainants in August, and posted on the dufferinpark.ca website at the same time. The complainants refused to talk directly with either Georgie Donais or the park manager about the project.
  9. “Illegality” of the project: The Building Code specifically allows composting toilets. Ms. Seljak’s other references are too vague – citation numbers are lacking
  10. Regarding Ms.Seljaks’ description of “so-called public meetings” that were “stacked” and “farcical,” without proper notice, and a general conspiracy to maintain secrecy about the project – although Ms.Seljak didn’t come, almost 100 other park users did come to discuss this project. Notice of the meeting was given with posters all over the park, a central posting on the park web site, a story on the front page of the Park Newsletter, and hundreds of leaflets handed out at the farmers’ market. There were also 350 flyers delivered in the neighbourhood through Councillor Adam Giambrone’s office.

Excerpts from project lead Georgie Donais’ letter to all the councillors whom Ms.Seljak e-mailed with her assertions:

“this flyer creates the impression that there is some kind of conspiracy by some people in the neighourhood to maintain secrecy about local community projects. Nothing could be further from the truth. We believe this community has one of the most, if not *the* most active communications efforts anywhere in the city:

  • There is a monthly newsletter which is printed and distributed to 300-600 people per month
  • The park website (www.dufferinpark.ca) has recently been getting about 35,000 page requests per month, and contains roughly 2000 pages of information collected over the years about park activity.
  • There is a weekly email distribution of Farmers' market news to over 400 people
  • There is an independent community mailing list that has over 300 members
  • There is a weekly farmers' market, a weekly Friday night supper, converging around the playground during the summer, and around the rink during the winter, which actively promote community discussions
  • The staff of the park are fully informed about all activities, and spend much of their time answering questions to anyone who asks
  • There are always posters and flyers posted around the park regarding any significant activity.
  • Individuals working on projects often have extensive email lists
  • ALL project activities are convivial events at the park, and people are always encouraged to engage in discussions and ask questions on site

All of these mechanisms were brought into play in keeping the neighbourhood informed about the ongoing composting toilet project. In addition we prepared extensive information material which is posted at the physical project site in the park, and also in the rinkhouse.

We would add that Ms. Seljak's claim that Councillor Giambrone did not circulate flyers in the neighbourhood to announce a September meeting about the Composting Toilet Project is simply false. He did.”


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