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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesCARNIVAL BRINGS BIGGEST, BEST OF LEW'S LOOS

CARNIVAL BRINGS BIGGEST, BEST OF LEW'S LOOS

It's Carnival, baby, and out in the field at the Lionel Roberts Stadium sits a marvel of bright lights, state of the art technology and glamor.
This little number also has action, music and more. It's just the thing for Carnival celebrants indulging in the occasional cool one while taking in the entertainment onstage.
It's . . . a restroom. On wheels.
The fully air-conditioned facility set up by Lew Henley's Sewage and Waste Removal Service isn't hard to find. A bright white spotlight on the ground and a flashing red zipper atop the door make it hard to miss. On the zipper is Henley's popular slogan, "# 1 in a # 2 Business."
Henley said he came across the ultimate Port-a-Potty at a January waste water trade show. One look and he knew he had to bring one home to the Virgin Islands. "My father thinks I'm crazy," he said.
So did some Carnival patrons when they heard about the $1 user fee. "At first it was like, ‘I'm not paying for a bathroom,'" he said, "but when they went in, they didn't want to come out."
A quick guided tour of the facility gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "going to the loo." The 12 by 12 foot structure has separate facilities for men, women and disabled patrons, including a wheel-chair ramp. Well lighted and wonderfully cool, each chamber features standard toilets, sinks with running water, automatic air fresheners and a radio speaker.
For the stadium shows, Henley sets the radio to WSTA, a station carrying live coverage, so patrons won't miss out on anything taking place onstage while answering nature's call.
The Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant chamber features a wide door to accommodate wheelchairs, hand rails and a drop-leaf table suitable for changing babies, with disposable changing paper provided.
Henley said one of the most gratifying experiences he's had during the stadium shows was when someone in a wheelchair used the handicapped-access bathroom. "It was someone who otherwise would not have had facilities," he said. The public restrooms in the stadium are accessed via a steep step.
Among those impressed with the classy water closet was William Caban, who pointed it out to his mother while attending Sunday's Pan-O-Rama program. He said he liked the facility because it was clean, had water and smelled good. "Lew has always had a good head," he said.
Henley said since he set up shop on April 22 for the queen show, his facilties have been attracting about 600 people a day at Carnival shows — and that's just half the unit's capacity. It has proven to be an attractive alternative to the Carnival tradition of long waits to get into stalls at the dimly lighter stadium bathrooms where the floors invariably fill with water, wads of paper and wiggly toddlers.
Once the stadium shows wrap up Thursday night with the Calypso Monarch Competition, Henley said, he'll put his 21st Century loo at the disposal of hundreds of youngsters in the Class Is Class troupe that will be taking part in the Children's Parade.
He said he'll also station 40 of his regular units along the parade route free of charge. "I like to give something back to the community all the time," he said.

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