Shower voucher program debated

Published 4:50 pm Wednesday, April 29, 2026

PORT ANGELES — A program which provides vouchers for people to use the showers at Shore Aquatic Center will continue while its board of commissioners fine-tunes an official policy.

Through the program, which has existed for roughly two years, Shore Aquatic Center supplies shower vouchers to organizations which distribute them to people who need a shower but do not have access to one and cannot afford to pay for access to the center’s locker rooms.

The program was paused April 8, Director Ryan Amiot said.

“The program was paused after there was some social media push against it as well as communication from numerous members,” Amiot said. “It was paused so we could bring it to the board for formal review and public input.”

A draft version of a written policy for the shower voucher program was presented to the center’s board of commissioners during their monthly meeting Tuesday afternoon.

At that meeting, commissioners heard an hour of public comments directed almost entirely at the center’s shower voucher program.

Commenters were split between supporting the program and opposing it. Those in support praised the center for allowing dignity to unhoused people, while those against it cited safety concerns, often focusing on potential drug use or physical or sexual abuses which could be committed by voucher users.

To those concerns, several people in favor said any aquatic center member was capable of drug use or abusing other users.

One particular concern was that sex offenders might be using the showers, but one woman who said she distributes vouchers stated she knows of one registered sex offender who has never asked for a voucher. Amiot also addressed the issue during the meeting by stating that the welcome desk at the aquatic center has a registered sex offender list that is checked when anyone comes in.

The hours during which the shower vouchers can be used were set at 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, but the board voted to amend those hours to 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.

The board also voted unanimously to unpause the program while the written policy is revised.

“I don’t see it as a shower voucher program,” Commissioner LaTrisha Suggs said. “I see it as a community hygiene issue. I’d like for us to consider kind of rebranding it or focusing it on and calling it a community hygiene program.”

The draft policy presented to the board was more of an outline to provide information in several categories. The full draft policy can be read at tinyurl.com/PDN-Shower-Vouchers. The policy starts on page 33.

The draft policy states only partner organizations approved by the board will be allowed to distribute the vouchers. Right now, the aquatic center provides vouchers to St. Vincent de Paul and Clallam County Harm Reduction, but during the public comment period, it became clear that more organizations are handing out the vouchers.

Amiot said he’s not sure how that happened.

Voucher users will only have access to the shower and restroom facilities, according to the draft policy.

When Commissioner Mark Hodgson asked if any voucher users had violated the aquatic center’s policies during the existence of the program, Amiot stated there was just one issue of a voucher user being asked to leave after taking a shower longer than 30 minutes, which is the maximum allowed.

Commissioners had suggested for areas to add more details to the policy, such as for security, and they also expressed interest in having the hours of the shower voucher program posted on the aquatic center’s website as well as on the entrance with the other center hours so patrons are aware of the program and when it’s happening.

Commissioners plan to discuss the policy further at their May meeting, which normally would be May 26. Commissioner Mike French said that meeting might be rescheduled to a later date due to staff availability.

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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.