The wait is almost over!
Residents of Bundanoon no longer have to hang on with news that the long awaited refurbished Bundanoon Public Toilets are set to re-open next week.
The old toilet block, located in Osborne Ave, was demolished in 2012, and in its place Wingecarribee Shire Council has built an upgraded purpose built amenities block that will now also cater for people with a disability.
Wingecarribee Shire Mayor, Councillor Juliet Arkwright said the new facility would benefit the entire village.
“We know that the block has received a few jibes,” Councillor Arkwright said. “I’ve heard it called everything from the Taj Maloo to the Loo with a view,” she laughed.
“But the reality is that once opened, the facility will add great value to the entire village. It will offer clean, comfortable and spacious amenities for both locals and guests visiting the village.
“Importantly, it now also offers dedicated disabled access and parenting facilities,” she said.
The new loo will be opened at a low key ceremony on site on Tuesday morning.
“I’m sure I’ll hear many more puns on the day about the first flush, but all jokes aside, it’s long been Council policy to celebrate and acknowledge new infrastructure projects that are important to our Shire’s towns and villages,” Councillor Arkwright said.
“The opening is also an opportunity to thank the staff and contractors who worked on the project, celebrate the facility’s completion and pay tribute to the local community groups and businesses who may have contributed or supported the project.
“But most importantly, it’s an opportunity to thank the residents for their patience during construction.”
Apart from being the only publicly available disabled toilet in Bundanoon, the new structure incorporates numerous other multi-user initiatives.
Additional stalls have been included in the Women’s toilets whilst the Men’s section has received additional urinals. Automatic doors and a larger amenity area have been fitted for people with a disability. Other initiatives include Braille signage for vision impaired users and widened footpath access for wheelchair users.
Energy efficiency was also factored into the design and the block features water saving urinals, timed taps, insulation and skylights for natural light to reduce electricity consumption.
“Another element we incorporated was to ensure that the finished facility included a heritage design to deliberately blend in with the local character, history and landscape of the village,” Councillor Arkwright added. “That’s also the reason we used locally sourced Bundanoon sandstone to acknowledge one of the village’s unique natural features.”
“These were elements raised by the village’s citizens as a priority when we first placed the plans on public exhibition and we were committed to delivering on these promises and making sure we handed over the best possible finished product,” Councillor Arkwright added.
The official opening of the Bundanoon Amenities Block will take place on Tuesday 22 October onsite at Osborne Avenue, Bundanoon at 10:00am.