By Brendan Rees
A newly built public toilet on the Blind Bight foreshore which did not have a privacy door has now been covered.
Resident Bob O’Connell spoke to Star News last week expressing his concerns about walking past the toilet block on Anchorage Drive.
“No privacy at all, it’s an absolute mistake that they’ve made,” he said.
“Let’s say if someone stands two foot from the urinal you can see them pretty clear.”
According to Mr O’Connell, the toilet took about five months to build with the design “misjudged completely.” He added the toilet block was the “joke of the area.”
Mr O’Connell said he was also surprised a wash down area was not installed as part of the toilet for the hundreds of university students who visit the foreshore for environmental studies.
“We got the toilet but we didn’t get the wash down area, he said.
“They get in the mud, they gather crabs, and bits and pieces, and then they’ve got to get on the bus and nowhere to wash.”
With hours of Star News contacting Balla Balla Ward Councillor Geoff Ablett he said he spoke to council officers and the toilet issue was rectified “straight away.”
“I went down straight away…while I was down there lo and behold the workers pulled up, starting working,” he said.
Cr Ablett admitted it was possible for men to be seen using the urinal. “We’ve covered the doorway in with metal so you cannot see inside the toilet for privacy, and that was the best outcome,” he said.
“We are also investigating the installation of a wash down area for university students who undertake environmental studies in the black mud to utilise before getting back onto buses.
Cr Ablett said extra bollards would be installed behind the toilet block to stop traffic coming through the barbecue area.
He added council would consider providing another barbecue near the rotunda “for people to enjoy that environment.”
“I would encourage all members of the community who have suggestions on future improvements to the area to make contact with me,” he added.
