Allegheny County orders more portable toilets as park visits soar

Parks across Western Pennsylvania have seen a surge in visitors during the coronavirus pandemic, and at several Allegheny County parks that’s been particularly evident.

More people in the parks has translated into a greater need for portable toilets.

Allegheny County officials asked vendors to provide more of the toilets and empty existing ones more regularly “to accommodate the higher number of parkgoers,” parks spokesman Kevin Evanto said.

Evanto said the increased usage prompted the county to add seven portable toilets at Boyce Park, four each at North and White Oak parks and two at South Park.

Additional portable toilets are planned for rental facility areas at Round Hill, Settlers Cabin and White Oak parks, but they won’t be placed until the rental areas reopen. The county has canceled reservations through at least April 6.

North, South and White Oak parks also will get additional flush-toilet facilities when the weather improves, Evanto said.

People across the region have flocked to parks as many other aspects of life have been curtailed or shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nancy Furbee of Franklin Park, administrator of the Facebook group Friends of North Park, said North Park was so crowded over the weekend it was almost impossible to stay 6 feet away from people.

“Unfortunately, most people are only aware of the 5-mile paved loop around the lake,” Furbee said. “What they don’t seem to realize is that North Park is absolutely massive.”

Authorities have encouraged people to get outside and exercise, as long as they aren’t sick and adhere to social distancing guidelines calling for 6 feet of separation from others.

“Crowded anything can be a risk for transmission,” said Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, a Pittsburgh-based infectious disease and critical care physician and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “If social distancing cannot be performed with some regularity, the virus gains an opportunity.”

But if there are quick breaches of the 6-foot closeness rule as people pass each other on a trail, it’s not so much an issue, Adalja said. “A transient episode where you pass by somebody with less than six feet of distance is not going to confer a considerable risk.”

Westmoreland County briefly closed its 10 parks last week, but people continued going to them despite padlocked gates at entrances and signs notifying the public about the closures. Officials reopened the parks last Thursday.

All restrooms have remained locked, and staff isn’t collecting trash, Public Works Director Greg McCloskey said. Northmoreland and Cedar Creek parks do have some portable toilets available.

Westmoreland County park police continue to patrol, but officers are not actively enforcing social distancing.

Becky Dillon, 49, of Greensburg takes regular walks at Twin Lakes Park and was one of dozens of walkers, runners and people fishing there on a mild Wednesday.

“We come here even when it’s 10 degrees,” said Dillon, who was walking with her boyfriend, BJ Palumbo, 41, of Greensburg. “If they closed the park, I’d be literally walking up and down my driveway.”

Rich Cholodofsky and Jacob Tierney contributed to this story.