Stonington — Borough officials are expected to unveil plans and costs for public bathrooms on Wadawanuck Square at a public informational session scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16.

The meeting is slated to begin at 10 a.m. at the borough firehouse.

The Board of Warden and Burgesses and other borough groups began discussing the idea earlier this year. It has also been discussed in the past but never came to fruition.

Warden Jeff Callahan has said it is "embarrassing" and "uncivilized" that there are not public bathrooms for the many people that visit the borough each year. In contrast, visitors in downtown Mystic can access two public restroom facilities: one at Mystic River Park and one in the police substation on Water Street on the Groton side of the Mystic River.

Borough merchants and the Stonington Free Library, all of whom field frequent requests to use their bathrooms, also have supported the idea.

Callahan said this week that in a recent survey of borough residents, 75% favored the creation of public bathrooms.

He said the "comfort station" plan, which still is being developed by local arthitect Julia Leeming, calls for placing the building with two unisex bathrooms and a maintenance room behind the rear of the Stonington Free Library at the north end of the square. He said the idea is to make its light-colored brick exterior blend in with that of St. Mary Church, the library and the post office across the street. 

Callahan said the cost estimate for the work is being developed and he expects it to be ready for the informational meeting. He said the project could be funded with $260,000 in COVID relief money coming to the brough from the American Rescue Plan Act. He said he hopes the bathrooms could be open next summer.

As for why the bathrooms are being proposed for Wadawanuck Square, Callahan explained that borough officials considered all borough-owned properties but all except two are located in flood zones, where the bathrooms would have to be elevated and handicapped access ramps extended, all adding additional costs to the project. This includes the Town Dock area, which is owned by the town. Using a site already owned by the borough would save on the cost of purchasing property in the village, where real estate prices are very high.

The only two sites not in the flood zones are centrally located Wadawanuck Square and Wimpfheinmer Park next to the American Velvet Mill. The latter site is a more than half-mile walk over the footbridge from the shops and restaurants of Water Street, which attract most visitors. 

"If someone comes up with a half-million dollars to buy a property on Water Streer we can use, fine. Otherwise we have to use the property we own," Callahan said.

j.wojtas@theday.com