A roughly $91,000 line item in Colorado Springs' proposed 2027 budget would bring back restroom access at neighborhood parks that went without facilities this season. The closures were themselves a product of 2026 budget cuts. Before any reopening can occur, city council must sign off on the funding.
The shuttered locations span ten parks across the city: Golden Hills, Bonfort, Boulder, Dublin, Ford Frick, Piñon Valley, Sandstone, Thorndale, Wasson, and Westmoor. Residents near those parks have gone through the entire current outdoor season without on-site bathroom access, a gap that has shaped how — and how long — people use those spaces.
The practical toll on families has been significant. One visitor who regularly brings his young child to the parks said the lack of a private changing area has directly influenced how much time he is willing to spend there. Another resident, whose household heads to parks each weekend for both athletic activities and leisure, said restroom availability factors into which parks the family chooses.
That resident described situations in which a family must end a practice or an outdoor outing ahead of schedule, get everyone into a vehicle, and drive to a different location just to find a working bathroom. While she supports the idea of reopening the facilities, she raised concerns about whether they would be adequately maintained — specifically whether they would be consistently cleaned and kept stocked with supplies. She offered her own suggestions, including routine maintenance checks, keeping toilet paper and hand-cleaning supplies available, and securing restrooms outside of park hours, as well as encouraging parents to accompany children into public restrooms to check the facilities — though those ideas represent her personal recommendations rather than anything included in the current proposal.
No date for a potential reopening has been set. The city has made the proposed budget available for public review at ColoradoSprings.gov/Budget.
Whether the city council approves the $91,000 allocation, and what maintenance commitments would accompany any eventual reopening, will be key questions as the 2027 budget process continues.