Need to Pee? That’s Not Going to Happen at Any Yakima City Parks This Year

Sounds like you're going to need a backup plan if you go to a Yakima public park this summer. You’ll want to "go" before you go since a city budget crunch is keeping all park restrooms closed for the 2026 season.

The Problem: What Do You Know, There's No Dough

It seems that due to a $9 million-dollar deficit budget crunch, there's not enough money to keep Yakima's 25+ city park restrooms and porta potties open this year. According to the Herald-Republic, the city's Parks and Rec manager responded by email indicating funding for housekeeping of the city's park bathrooms and porta potties (including, service, restroom supplies and graffiti cleanup) has been eliminated.

What This Means for You

Closed bathrooms at city parks this summer means that if you reserve a picnic shelter at one of our parks, you and your guests won't be able to use the bathroom. This news makes my bladder pucker up; it seems I always have to "go" when it's inconvenient!

This could present a dilemma for you. What are you going to do with the little kids who yell that they have to "go pee" every 20 minutes? What about those with limited bladder control, especially for the elderly or pregnant women?

It's already hard enough to find a public bathroom these days. Some places, like convenience stores and local businesses, already have a "No Public Restrooms" sign on the door — others have code locks on their bathroom doors.

Your Best Bet? "Go" Before You Go!

Read More: Harman Center: A Place That Yakima Rallies Behind to Keep Open

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How to Reserve a Yakima City Park This Summer

If you still want to rent a Yakima park picnic shelter for your summer event or barbecue, you can make shelter reservations online at yakimaparks.com or by filling out an application at the Public Works building at 2301 Fruitvale Blvd.

Rent a picnic shelter for the whole day (more than 5 hours for $110) or half a day (5 hours or less for $85). Non-residents of Yakima will pay extra. If your group exceeds 50 people, a special events fee applies. Just make sure you come up with a plan for people that need to go use the restroom!

Yakima's parks — all 25 of them, plus public pathways, a cemetery, and skate parks — are open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.