BOISE, Idaho — A recent post on social media sparked some interest - and a smattering of theories - about public bathrooms in Boise's public parks.
A member of the Northend Facebook page posted recently, questioning why it's so difficult to find an open restroom in parks and along the Greenbelt.
Responses ran the gamut from preventing vandalism, to drug use to outright convenience.
It turns out, the answer is simply because of the season.
The City of Boise Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for 63 restrooms across 51 parks around the city. Some of those are older structures and shutting them down when the weather turns cold prevents damage from frozen pipes and other weather-related issues.
Parks and Rec said there are nearly 20 park bathrooms that remain open year-round, from Ann Morrison to Morris Hill to Camels Back. In locations where the bathrooms are closed for winter, portable restrooms are provided.
Closings start in mid-October and last until April. For a full list of open park restrooms around the city, visit Boise's website.