New Shark Reef sanctuary toilets open to the public

||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||

San Juan County’s Parks, Recreation, and Fair Department is pleased to announce the opening of new restroom facilities at Shark Reef Sanctuary on Lopez Island. This upgrade provides year-round, ADA-compliant toilet access.  

“We’re proud to be able to provide this kind of amenity to park visitors,” said project coordinator Carmel Rubin. “We know that these new units will serve the community well for years to come.”

The two previous stand-alone vault toilets at Shark Reef Sanctuary were past their life-span and were in need of replacement. Construction began in September of 2023 and the new, double unit Romtec waterless vault toilets where fully installed in December. The building’s thoughtful design features a cedar exterior with brown trim to blend into the surrounding environment.

The contract for the demolition work was awarded to Lopez Sand & Gravel, and the installation of the new toilets was awarded to Big Rock Excavation.  

The project was fully funded by a San Juan County lodging tax grant for facilities improvements. Find ongoing information about this project and other Parks capital improvement projects by visiting the Visitor Improvements webpage at: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/2015/Visitor-Improvements.

About San Juan County’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Fair     

San Juan County’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Fair oversees public parks on all four ferry-served islands, manages camping, and hosts the San Juan County Fair. The department offices are located at 849 Argyle Avenue, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Fair, visit www.sanjuanco.com/430/Parks-Recreation-Fair.