Better public toilets on the horizon

People across Cardinia can expect to see better public toilet facilities pop up over the shire in the next 10 years thanks to the strategy. Pic: UNSPLASH 241909_01

By Gabriella Payne

Residents throughout the Cardinia Shire can expect to see better public toilet facilities across the region over the next ten years, as the council’s “public toilet strategy 2020 – 2030” was passed unanimously at Monday night’s council meeting.

Councillor Tammy Radford spearheaded the strategy at the meeting on Monday 21 June and said that while toilets weren’t always a hot topic, it was vital to improve our public loos throughout the growing shire as they are a “critical” piece of infrastructure for the community.

“[This strategy] Is important and it ensures that public toilets are in the right places of need, maintained to a standard that residents and visitors to the Shire expect and user friendly for all abilities,” Cr Radford said.

“In addition, the strategy provides consideration to gender neutral toilets, accommodating changing community attitudes on gender.”

Cr Radford said that 149 residents had helped provide input on what they would like to see improved when it comes to public toilet facilities, and these comments had helped directly shape the new council policy.

Four key goals were identified thanks to the community input, which include regular, high standard public toilet maintenance; progressive updates to all existing public toilets; public toilet design which will meet the community’s needs, including changing place facilities being installed more widely; and lastly, new public toilets meet the requirements of the open space management framework.

“These identified goals are important to our Shire,” Cr Radford said.

“We are a fast growing Shire with a high rate of visitors to our tourist sites, and our public toilets are critical infrastructure and need to meet the demands and expectations that are put on them.”

Cr Radford said she was also “really pleased” to see this strategy take into consideration changing place facilities, which would help countless young families and disabled residents in the future.

“Council currently has one changing place facility at the Deep Creek Reserve, and there needs to be more,” she said.

The strategy was applauded by almost all the other councillors at the meeting, with Cr Springfield noting this had been “a long time coming” and would help improve facilities across Cardinia Shire for one and all to utilise.