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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Some golfers are speaking out against the lack of restrooms on the Charleston Municipal golf course. They say the two portable restrooms are unsanitary and inadequate for the number of people who use the course.
What people are asking for, both at the council meeting Tuesday and in a petition going around is for the city to install permanent restrooms on the golf course.
After a $2.5 million renovation, the municipal golf course reopened in 2020. Since then, the city says around 63,000 rounds of golf were played at the course just last year.
It’s this increased demand that is the very reason Jennifer O’Brien, who’s been a member of the Ladies Golf Association at the course for over 10 years, says the two portable restrooms just aren’t enough.
And- O’Brien is not alone. A petition called “port a lets gotta go” currently has over 300 signatures and counting. O’Brien says while men can opt for a close-by tree or bush, women and children don’t have the same
She said considering Charleston’s reputation as a top tourist attraction, the city needs to do a better job of providing sanitary restrooms.
“When you think about Charleston you think about the beautiful city, the pineapple, the palmettos, and then you go to this golf course which is absolutely stunning and amazing, it’s just that the bathrooms on site don’t reflect how great of a place that is and all of the time and effort the city put into making it a great place,” O’Brien said.
Laurie Yarborough, the Director of Recreation for the City of Charleston, said the city is aware of the golfers’ desires to add the restroom, and it is one of many improvements they would like to make on the course.
She said the course has restrooms in their clubhouse, in addition to the two portable restrooms, for people to use.
“There’s all kinds of areas for improvement. We’ve certainly identified public restrooms on the course as a necessary improvement,” Yarborough said.
Yarborough said the city is excited about the great golf course they do have and will continue to work hard to meet everyone’s needs across the city.
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