Lido residents remain concerned about pavilion restrooms

In early 2019, as the city considered handing control of the Lido Beach pavilion to a private operator, Lido Key residents asked officials to reject the plan and instead invest in modest improvements to the facility — in particular, upgrading the public restrooms.

The push to keep the Lido pavilion under city management was successful. Last February, city staff first detailed plans for an internal renovation project, later fleshed out to include a new roof, a renovated concession area, patio furniture and, yes, bathroom improvements.

But more than a year later, with work at the pavilion underway since the fall, Lido residents continue to complain about the restrooms. On Feb. 24, St. Armands resident Mike Adkinson sent an email to city commissioners with online complaints from people upset about the maintenance at the restrooms. One comment says there was no toilet paper in the women’s bathroom and that garbage cans were overflowing.

“This has been an embarrassing problem for too long,” Adkinson said in the email.

Later that day, Parks and Recreation Director Jerry Fogle wrote back and acknowledged there was a problem. The city is having issues with its janitorial contractor, Fogle said, and officials can’t seek a new contractor until the current agreement expires in less than a year. Fogle pledged to “hold the current janitorial contractor accountable.”

Adkinson said he did notice a slight improvement after he sent the email, but issues persist. He said he recently asked somebody he knew to check on the women’s restroom, and she returned with a negative assessment.

The city did not respond to a request for comment.

According to Fogle’s email, an architectural firm was working on the design for the restroom renovation as of Feb. 24. Fogle said the city’s tentative plan is to finish the restroom project by December.

Adkinson said he understood there were factors preventing the city from doing all of the necessary improvements at the pavilion at the same time, but he believes the bathrooms should have been a higher priority for officials.

“They really needed to get in there and do something, and they’re just not doing it,” he said.