Coney Island’s toilet paper shortage may be a wrap.
The city has restocked the bathrooms along the Coney Island Boardwalk after embarrassing allegations that Parks employees were rationing single-ply squares to beach-goers.
During this paper’s own toilet paper patrol on Friday and Monday, we found that all but one of the nearly 20 stalls on the Boardwalk, which are near Stillwell Avenue and W. 16th Street, had squares to spare.
Locals say they too have noticed well-stocked stalls.
“The last time I was here there was enough toilet paper,” said Coney Island resident Elean Lana.
The paper plethora is a great improvement from two weeks ago, when Parks employees began a Soviet-style rationing of toilet paper. At the time, bathroom attendants explained that they didn’t have enough supplies and were conserving what they had.
But city spokeswoman Vicki Karp insisted that the tissue issue has been fixed, and a Parks attendant backed up the statement.
“At one point, we weren’t given enough [toilet paper], but it has been better lately,” said a worker who declined to give her name.
Still, some beach-goers say that it won’t be long before they’re tapping on the next stall to ask for more paper.
“I’ve been coming here for 25 years, and it’s the same every year — they’re always out of toilet paper,” said Brighton Beach resident Jose Ocasio.
Shortages may be a chronic problem following major Coney events. On July 5 — the day after the Fourth of July weekend, and the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Championship — bathroom users were frustrated to find several empty toilet paper dispensers.
“There isn’t any!” Angeles Rozas, who was visiting Coney Island from Spain as she walked out of the bathroom. “I went into one and there wasn’t any, so I had to go into another one.”
