Nearly $1 million Runyon Canyon restroom remains closed months after expected opening
Opening for $1M Runyon Canyon restroom delayed
A nearly $1 million restroom at Runyon Canyon remains closed six months after installation despite appearing largely complete.
LOS ANGELES - A nearly $1 million public restroom at Runyon Canyon remains closed months after it was expected to open, prompting questions from hikers who say the facility appears complete but is still fenced off.
The two-stall prefabricated restroom, located near the Fuller Avenue entrance to one of Los Angeles' busiest hiking destinations, was delivered and installed by crane in February after months of controversy over its nearly $1 million price tag.
Six months later, the doors remain locked.
"I've had some close calls. I had to improvise, but that's all I'll say. I don't want to incriminate myself," Josh, a frequent Runyon Canyon visitor, said.
According to Council District 4's website, construction began in January and was expected to take about 15 weeks, putting completion around April or May. The city later also indicated the restroom was expected to open this summer.
Today, the restroom appears largely finished. The two stalls, sinks, sidewalks and lighting are all in place, but fencing still surrounds the facility.
"They're about four months behind schedule, and I'm here every day and never see people working on it," Shirah Scott Astrof, a frequent park visitor, said.
"A lot of things like that happen in California, where a lot of money gets poured in, a lot of time goes by, and we don't see the results that we hoped for," Arona Ackermann, another frequent visitor, said.
Earlier this year, the office of Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is now running for mayor, told FOX 11 the restroom was funded through a grant and intended to improve infrastructure at Runyon Canyon, which attracts roughly 2 million visitors each year.
Months after the project was expected to be completed, many hikers say they want to know why the restroom remains behind locked gates.
"Makes me wonder, dude. Are they appropriating the funding where they need to put it?" Josh said.
"It doesn't look like it cost a million. I don't think it'll ever finish," Astrof said. "There's zero transparency, zero follow-through. It's very odd."
FOX 11 reached out to Council District 4 for an update on the project's status, the reason for the apparent delay, and whether a new opening date has been set. As of publication, the office had not responded.