Gore Park’s giant inflatable toilet draws attention to global challenges

It’s one of the questions of the day in downtown Hamilton: why is there a 15-foot inflatable toilet in Gore Park?

The city of Hamilton says it’s part of an awareness campaign ahead of World Toilet Day on Monday, which draws attention to the fact that 1.8 billion people use a drinking water source that could be contaminated with feces.

More than 840,000 people die each year from water-related disease.

The city will also host an event on Monday near the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant, involving 100 local Grade 7 students, to emphasize the importance of clean water and sanitation.

The students will take part in “the big squat” to reflect on what life is like in countries where open defecation is a common issue.