A nearly $1 million public restroom at Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles remains closed and fenced off six months after its expected completion, drawing criticism from frequent visitors.
The prefabricated facility, located near the park's Fuller Avenue entrance, was delivered in February. Despite appearing to have stalls, sinks, sidewalks, and lighting in place, the restroom has not been accessible to the public.
Construction on the restroom began in January with an estimated 15-week timeline, suggesting completion around April or May. The city later indicated an opening was expected in the summer. As of an Aug. 6, 2026, update, construction was listed as complete and the project in the final stages of the city's approval process.
"I’ve had some close calls. I had to improvise, but that’s all I’ll say. I don’t want to incriminate myself," said Josh, a frequent visitor. Another visitor, Shirah Scott Astrof, noted, "I’m here every day and never see people working on it."
The office of Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is running for mayor, previously stated the project was funded through a grant intended to improve park infrastructure. However, the prolonged closure has led some hikers to question the project's delay and the utilization of its substantial funding.
Runyon Canyon Park attracts approximately 2 million visitors annually. Visitors like Arona Ackermann expressed disappointment, stating, "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."
"Makes me wonder, dude. Are they appropriating the funding where they need to put it?" Josh asked. Astrof added, "There’s zero transparency, zero follow-through. It’s very odd."