CENTRAL SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Some park bathrooms across Colorado Springs are locked up throughout the rest of the year as part of a cost-saving measure that, along with other service changes, is saving the city $950,000.
Originally, Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation said ten park bathrooms would be closed for 2026. However, three of those ten are reopened. The three restrooms now open are Dublin Park, Boulder Park, and Thorndale Park.
The seven closed facilities include bathrooms at :
- Wasson Park
- Bonforte Park
- Ford Frick Park
- Golden Hills Park
- Piñon Valley Park
- Sandstone Park
- Westmoor Park
Watch previous reporting : Colorado Springs parks face $3.1 million budget cuts
But for families who frequent those parks, the closures present a challenge.
Miguel Tully has been taking his son, Parker, to Wasson Park for five years. He said the lack of open restrooms is a recurring frustration.
"There's really nowhere to run and you can't just like go to the bathroom in the clearing or behind a tree here, it's pretty public," Tully said.
Tully said the closures do not make the need to use a restroom disappear — especially for young children like his son.
"Just because they're closing these bathrooms, it doesn't eliminate the problem of having to go to the bathroom especially with young ones," Tully said.
Some port-a-potties are available at the parks, but visitors — both on and off camera — said those facilities could use some attention. Tully noted the resources required to maintain them may not be much different from maintaining a permanent structure.
"It's the same amount of effort and funds to manage one porta potty than to manage one structure that's already here," Tully said.
For many visitors, the bathroom situation is not something they think to plan around before heading to the park.
"Like, oh, let me make sure there's a bathroom at the park and make sure that we're good," Tully said.
He said the closures affect the overall experience of spending time outdoors.
"You have to plan for it or plan around it," Tully said.
