Letter to the Editor: Need more porta-potties for parade

By Jeff Bergstrom, Charles City

While watching “America’s Hometown” parade on July 4th, I noticed one thing in real need that could be a big improvement to the parade — the need for porta-potties at each street corner from Lane Street to Riverside Drive, where the parade turns to go up Jackson Street and North and back to Lane Street.

A lot of the older folks and kids needed a restroom to go to before and during the parade. If they would put 2 or 3 porta-potties at each street corner from Lane Street to Blunt Street and Kelly street to Riverside Drive, people would have a place to use the restroom. The porta-potties at Central Park would take care of Blunt Street and Kelly street and a couple more maybe could be added there.

That’s four blocks from Lane Street to Blunt Street and roughly eight to 12 porta-potties. Then Clark Street to Riverside Drive equals one block and four to six porta-potties. Then two should be put on Jackson Street going North from Clark Street on the street corners at Ferguson, Hulin, Sprigg and Riching Streets.

All together, it would be 18 to 22 porta-potties at the street corners, besides what Central Park has. This way parade patrons would not have to intrude on a few businesses along the parade route to use their johns!

For only one day, July 4th, I think the city could afford those porta-potties for the benefit of the people that come to see “America’s Hometown” parade on an annual basis and it’s also good “PR” for “America’s Hometown”!  Thank you!