Bangor has installed 2 more public bathrooms

Bangor has installed two more public bathrooms.

That brings to four the number of public bathrooms installed across the Queen City. One more will be installed later this summer.

The city said Thursday afternoon work was completed on the restroom at Abbott Square, across from the Bangor Public Library, on Harlow Street, while another was installed at Coe Park on Court Street.

Bathrooms have been installed at Cascade Park on State Street and Broad Street, near the intersection with Washington Street.

The city said a fifth public bathroom will be installed at the dog park at Essex Woods off Essex Street.

That follows years of advocacy from community members for the city to provide more public restrooms for residents and visitors. Once the city announced plans to proceed with installing public restrooms, officials met with resistance from some residents who feared the bathrooms would become targets for vandalism or become sites for drug use.

Despite that, many others in the city supported the move , saying Bangor has long lacked accessible public bathrooms open to everyone 24/7.

The city originally chose Hayford Park, Chapin Park, Coe Park, Fairmount Park and Broadway Park before settling on the present locations.