12 years ago, Kortrijk opened a prestigious toilet next to the Church of Saint Rochus, just outside the city centre. The toilet had to underscore Kortrijk's image as a city of innovation and design. The installation was made entirely of glass and stainless steel, with an external urinal that was free to use.
For 50 cents, you can go to the toilet, with a seat that cleans automatically. The doors also worked automatically, and there was a security system that sounded an alarm if someone stayed in the toilet for too long. The entire installation cost the city 170 thousand euros.
Although the city left no stone unturned, the toilet had little success. In the first year there were about 500 visitors, and after that there are only figures for 2023, when 40 people visited. But it is likely that less than 4,000 people used the toilet in all.
This means it cost the city more than €40 per toilet visit. Plans to build two more similar toilets in the city center have been postponed. Eventually, the building at St. Roch Church was closed due to increasing problems with vandalism.
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