TDC bathrooms at Grayton Beach???

Isn't that the TDC again? They have a warped sense of truth in advertising and little regard for the truth in general and South Walton in particular.

You'd know if you had attended their monthly board meetings.

I think Deer Lake State Park only has outhouses (port a johns), too.

You'd know if you had attended their monthly board meetings.

Money would be better spent on proper restroom facilities than UGLY blue signs!!!! :angry: I would rather use the sand and a blanket around me than a port-a-john!

Money would be better spent on proper restroom facilities than UGLY blue signs!!!! :angry: I would rather use the sand and a blanket around me than a port-a-john!

Got that right. If nature calls while running the Peachtree Road Race, we squat behind a dumpster rather than going into a stinky porta-potty.

The last time I was a Deer Lake, there were only porta-potties. At least the map is truthful that there is no handicapped access -- the ramp to the beach hasn't been replaced since the 2005 hurricane season.

Money would be better spent on proper restroom facilities than UGLY blue signs!!!! :angry: I would rather use the sand and a blanket around me than a port-a-john!

I still say that the big blue signs could be converted into nice big metal toilets.

I still say that the big blue signs could be converted into nice big metal toilets.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the engineering..........I like the idea!

Sorry ya'll, but it makes me so mad when people take outrageous liberties with the handicap accessible classification....A port a john is not handicap accessible. I guess those in authority don't care and won't be there to help the person stuggling to get from their wheelchair to the toilet. It is semantic games with tragic consequences for those with diminshed movement.

Sorry ya'll, but it makes me so mad when people take outrageous liberties with the handicap accessible classification....A port a john is not handicap accessible. I guess those in authority don't care and won't be there to help the person stuggling to get from their wheelchair to the toilet. It is semantic games with tragic consequences for those with diminshed movement.

The blue potties are temperary, don't think it's an outrageous liberty. What is outrageous is that there are still no restrooms at all in some county parks. Don't get me wrong....I sympathize.

Yep. More adequate restroom facilities on the beach would be a much higher priority. The Walton County park by Dunes of Seagrove (even though they tore dunes down and its not really Seagrove) really screams for a bathroom and has ample room. Many of the coastal dune lake outfall areas are also in need. Room at many access areas by road.

Sorry ya'll, but it makes me so mad when people take outrageous liberties with the handicap accessible classification....A port a john is not handicap accessible. I guess those in authority don't care and won't be there to help the person stuggling to get from their wheelchair to the toilet. It is semantic games with tragic consequences for those with diminshed movement.

well stated. There are port0a-johns which are built to handicapped codes, and do function well. They are about four times the size of a regular handicrapper, complete with ramps up to the door. While a real "restroom" would be nice and more accurate to what the TDC is suggesting is there, at least a Handicapped PortaJohn would meet the needs of the people in need. I truly think without a minimum of a handicapped portajohn, the TDC is in violation of ADA.



The above image shows a handicapped portajohn on the right, though I've seen some which were much larger.

Please click on Recommended Action Item Form for Improvement of County Facilities. Note that this form is for ADA compliance for county facilities only. Send to:
Ms. Tammy Christie
Walton County Human Resources
117 Montgomery Circle
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435

Questions? Email Tammy Christie chrtammy@co.walton.fl.us or call 892-8586.

The porta potty at Deer Lake State Park is no ordinary stinky potty - it is a Clivus odorless, solar-powered, waterless composting toilet.
http://www.clivusmultrum.com/

It really is odorless. Topsail has one of these too, at the end of the road from the old entrance on Hwy 98.

At Deer Lake, there is a designated handicapped parking place and a little boardwalk up to the potty, which is oversized. I believe it is handicap accessible - the state parks are usually good about complying. Might be a little awkward to negotiate the door though.

The Clivus is pricey but I bet the TDC still could have bought quite a few with the money they spent on the big blue signs.
The best thing about them is no sewer hookup is necessary, no electricity is necessary and no water is necessary, although it would be nice to have a shower and a spigot for handwashing. Not essential, though.

That's good to know. Thanks for the info.

I just sent the link to the Clivus site to Tammy at the county with the suggestion that those be used at ALL county facilities. The cost of renting a porta-john is around $100 a month so I am sure that amount of rent would offset the cost of those systems by quite alot.

I just sent the link to the Clivus site to Tammy at the county with the suggestion that those be used at ALL county facilities. The cost of renting a porta-john is around $100 a month so I am sure that amount of rent would offset the cost of those systems by quite alot.

Those clivus systems are extremely expensive, I believe 5 digits expensive.

I do agree that more beach accesses need to not only be accessible to get to the beach, but have facilities that are accessible as well. It seems like we have it backwards at most places.

Inlet Beach, beach access, non accessible facilities
Deerlake State Park, no beach access, quasi-accessible facilities
Seaside Watercolor, no beach access, brand new up to code facilities
Grayton Beach, beach access, facilities???

Those clivus systems are extremely expensive, I believe 5 digits expensive.

So, how many big blue signs is that? Two, three, four, five?

That would be only two of the 49 signs which cost over $5,000 each.

Actually SJ, here is the TDC's access map and it doesn't show restrooms at Grayton.

http://www.protectwaltoncountybeaches.com/BSWAccessMap062007.pdf

Good idea about the port-o-johns at Inlet but I think the ADA classification is there due to the actual dune walkover, not the port-o-john. All of the "constructed restrooms" do meet ADA requirements, and there are representatives of the County's ADA committee that participate/have participated in the Beach Management Committee of the TDC. As for restrooms at Inlet, they are in the survey, design and engineering phase this year with construction next year. The TDC constructed two other facilities at Van Ness Butler and Blue Mountain this budget year in addition to other capital expenditures.

Just so you know, they couldn't use the "sign money" for the restrooms. There are statutory requirements for each penny collected and the second cent goes to beach maintenance and improvements and the 4th cent goes to the signs, art, nature and cultural tourism, product development, life guards, etc. I am not sure of the complete detail of the 4th cent though.

Money would be better spent on proper restroom facilities than UGLY blue signs!!!! :angry: I would rather use the sand and a blanket around me than a port-a-john!

I still say that the big blue signs could be converted into nice big metal toilets.

So, how many big blue signs is that? Two, three, four, five?

.

For a moment, let's set aside the ADA requirement being met for the walkover. A person with a physical handicap, rents a place near Inlet Beach, based on there being ample parking and handicapped accessible. They get to the beach in their wheelchair, and now they have to go #2. What are they supposed to do? Drive to Buddy's? If the TDC wants to say that an access is handicapped accessible, I really think everything about that access needs to be handicapped accessible. It's just common sense. Put yourself in the wheelchair of the handicapped person.

As for the map above, which was posted on the front page of last week's Walton Sun, do they just make up their legends and maps, or do they get their map from the TDC? I don't understand why they would need to create their own map if the TDC already has one.

Glad to hear that more restrooms are being planned for our public accesses to the beach.

I just looked at the official TDC map, linked above, and notice that while it doesn't list restrooms at Grayton, it does list handicapped access, restrooms, etc, at the Inlet Beach Access. Again, if you provide restrooms for the public, are they not required to be handicapped accessible?

The porta potty at Deer Lake State Park is no ordinary stinky potty - it is a Clivus odorless, solar-powered, waterless composting toilet.
http://www.clivusmultrum.com/

It really is odorless. Topsail has one of these too, at the end of the road from the old entrance on Hwy 98.

At Deer Lake, there is a designated handicapped parking place and a little boardwalk up to the potty, which is oversized. I believe it is handicap accessible - the state parks are usually good about complying. Might be a little awkward to negotiate the door though.

The Clivus is pricey but I bet the TDC still could have bought quite a few with the money they spent on the big blue signs.
The best thing about them is no sewer hookup is necessary, no electricity is necessary and no water is necessary, although it would be nice to have a shower and a spigot for handwashing. Not essential, though.

NDY,
I like the idea of the composting potty, but trust me, that thing is not odorless. Went in there last Friday and . It is fairly handicapped accessible, however, the Deer Lake walkover is obviously not handicapped accessible to the beach.

Inlet beach HA walkover is great, there is just not an HA restroom.

Weigh it out. HA potty - no beach access. Beach access - no potty.

I wonder if a person with a handicap could get arrested for pooping on the handicapped access? That might get someone's attention at the TDC.