![\"\"](\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4042\/4623675125_05a1a42c7a_b.jpg\" "\\"Toronto's")
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Mayor David Miller and Councillor Adam Vaughan cut the ribbon to Toronto\u2019s first fully automated public toilet Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
Curiosity forced me to head down to Queens Quay and Rees St. and take a look for myself. The structure matches the rest of the street furniture that\u2019s being installed around the city. The roof even resembles that of a nearby streetcar stop.<\/p>\n
After I paid my quarter and the door coasted open, a woman\u2019s voice welcomed me and invited me to do my business. Some background music, that sounded an awful lot like waterfalls to me, played\u00a0 in order to add to the comfort level.<\/p>\n
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3010\/4623676377_5c33b656ff_b.jpg\" "\\"Retractable,")
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The room is relatively spacious and braille adorns every surface that has writing. The woman\u2019s voice again fills the room instructing me that there is a 20 minute time limit and that she\u2019ll remind me when my time is running out, twice more before the door automatically opens. Then, within the final two minutes a beeping noise will continue until the time is up.<\/p>\n
Also, she reminds me; remember to use the hand wash station, complete with soap, water and a hand dryer, all underneath a full sized mirror.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s very similar to a normal public restroom, except that once you push the door open button (or your time runs out) and the door opens and shuts behind you, water gushes out into the room to wash the floor of all debris and the self-cleaning toilet seat retracts into the wall to be disinfected.<\/p>\n
Sensors in the room ensure that this cleaning function cannot start if there is someone still occupying the lavatory.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4048\/4623675581_22abcd284a.jpg\" "\\"Toronto's")
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There will be maintenance workers to check in on it three times a day to make sure that nothing has been broken or vandalized, and in case of emergencies there is a button that will send emergency crews to the unit. Emergency crews will also be sent out if the smoke detectors sense smoke.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the hours of the little girls\/boys room is only during the day, from 8am to 11pm, so no late night relief after the bar, but this should act as a deterrent from homeless making it their home.<\/p>\n
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