Zorra Township Has a Change Room Problem and They're Looking to Fix It

Friday, 18 February 2022 12:39

"When the girls returned to the dressing room, I asked them, what do you think about this, that there is just a urinal in the corner and you have to go to the lobby and a 12 year old athlete spoke up and said, I think this is sexist."

ZORRA TOWNSHIP - Zorra Township council is looking to adopt an equitable change room policy at all recreation buildings

This was prompted by the Thamesford Arena, which only has a urinal in the change rooms, forcing girls to go to the lobby. First term Councillor Katie Grigg brought forward this motion. She has a daughter who plays hockey with the Woodstock Wildcats and is a change room attendant with the team. Grigg has been to several arenas in the region and they all have toilets and stalls in the change rooms for both genders. When the kids played in Thamesford and only had a urinal, it sparked her to create change. Grigg says the kids themselves can see this is not right.

Council agreed to fix this problem immediately. Staff have been directed to go over the options of installing new toilets and will come back to council with a report. Grigg is hopeful to get this issues resolved in time for next season. She is pushing to have the upgrades included in the 2022 budget.

Grigg says she hopes that council making this change will send a positive message to the girls and women in Zorra Township.

"In the research for this motion, I looked at the stats for retention of our girls in our youth sports and what participating in team sports does for our children. The value in participation is significant, so we have a real challenge with retention of our girls, one in three girls drop out of youth sports, where one out of 10 boys do."

Grigg says one of the things that was pinpointed in that research is that girls don't feel welcome.

"So when we are in a facility that is constructed in a way that says, this is for boys, this is where boys can use the washroom and that subtle message definitely starts to wear on them and has a impact. So I hope that when our girls see these changes happening for them, they have an understanding that this arena is for them, sports is for them, it is for everybody."

Grigg was also successful in passing a motion to give away free menstrual products to females at Township owned buildings and facilities. We will have more on that in the news Tuesday morning.