Middletown installs 4 public hand-washing stations during pandemic

The city of Middletown has placed hand washing stations at several locations around the city, including Smith Park, Bicentennial Commons and Governor’s Square. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

The city of Middletown has placed hand washing stations at several locations around the city, including Smith Park, Bicentennial Commons and Governor’s Square. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF

In an effort to cut down the community spread of the coronavirus, the city of Middletown has installed four hand-washing stations at locations where there is pedestrian traffic.

Shelby Quinlivan, city spokeswoman, said city officials decided to install the hand-washing stations earlier this week and the Public Works Department did the actual installation on Thursday.

She said that the hand-washing stations will be available on a temporary basis to the community.

Quinlivan said stations were installed at Bicentennial Commons, Governors Square, Douglass Park and at the entrance of Smith Park. She said the city is renting the hand-washing stations for $120 a month, which includes weekly restocking of soap and paper towels. Johnny’s A1 Sanitation of Middletown was contracted to provide the temporary hand-washing stations.

Quinlivan said Downtown Middletown Inc. was informed of the city’s decision to move forward with the installation of the hand-washing station. She said city officials did not believe that this would attract more homeless people in those areas of the community.

“(The city) is trying to do what they can to help us stay clean,” said Jeff Payne, Downtown Middletown Inc. executive director. “It’s one way to help folks stay clean when they are out and about.”

Payne also said he did not think that the temporary hand-washing stations would attract more homeless people to the downtown area.

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