St. Luke's Episcopal Church, supported by the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, has started a petition to keep the Ballard Commons Honey Bucket past its takedown date, Oct. 11.

The petition reads: "This honey bucket serves a critical public health function in downtown Ballard for all of us who visit and enjoy this heavily used urban park. The long term goal for downtown Ballard is to establish a permanent restroom for the general public in the Ballard Commons Park as is usual in other city parks. The current well serviced honey bucket is an important interim public facility for the community until the long term goal of building a permanent facility can be accomplished. ... Many folks from across our community are depending on your good will and civic spirit so that they will have a healthy place to “go” in downtown Ballard that preserves both their dignity and the public health of the community."

Having a restroom at Ballard Commons has been a contentious subject in the past. According to a petition last year, some residents think that it attracts unwanted characters; others think having a public restroom is a much needed service in the neighborhood; and most think the Honey Bucket is just an eyesore.

Businesses, and notably the church, have a good reason to want to keep a public restroom: It keeps people from urinating and defecating on their property.

We wrote about the public restroom debate, and the movement to lobby for a permanent restroom at the park (such as a loo), here.

To sign the petition, click here.

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