Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the community to stop by an Open House to learn about a new project happening at Ballard Commons Park. The goal of the project is to install a Portland Loo at the southeast corner of the park. The Portland Loo is a unique, patented outdoor bathroom that is easy to clean and maintain.

After extensive community outreach in 2015, access to a convenient public restroom facility was determined to be critical for the economic well being and livability of the business district and central Ballard neighborhood. In addition, in 2017 Seattle & King County Public Health informed Seattle Parks and Recreation that the park's water feature requires a public restroom within 100 feet. One must be installed prior to summer 2019 or the water feature would be deactivated.