COUNCIL could soon be flush with cash to fix up the region’s public toilets, but there’s more to this million-dollar plan than simply putting money in the dunny.
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Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) will vote on a proposal to borrow $1.5 million to upgrade “16 high profile public amenity facilities”.
A big investment in local loos, but staff say it could be cheaper in the long run to fix the facilities in one go.
“We’re also hoping with putting 16 facilities out in one tender, we’ll also gain that economy of scale as well,” council’s manager of assets and transport Brendan Moran said.
“So we might get some cheaper prices, as opposed to going out for individual sites.”
A report to be considered by councillors said “the absence of adequate facilities or the provision of poor quality facilities has the potential to generate adverse public opinion, particularly from visitors to the region”.
It also said “little, if any, renewal work” has been done on the region’s public toilets, potentially exposing council “to a degree of reputational and financial risk”.
TRC has 91 public amenities buildings to its name in the region with an estimated replacement value of $12.6 million.
There’s a number of reasons why just 16 “high profile facilities” were picked out for renewal, says TRC asset engineer Anna Russell, including location.
“The visitation: any public amenities along the highways are of particular importance and, also, the risk associated with poor infrastructure is a factor,” Mrs Russell said.
Mayor Col Murray said public toilets are an important service council provides, but the need to loan cash was part of a wider issue.
“The need to upgrade is an example of the systemic shortage of funding all councils have,” Cr Murray said.
Ratepayers’ association vice-president David McKinnon was reminded of TRC borrowing funds for its bridge renewal program.
“We’ll only know with time, if this is a good idea,” he said.
“Loans still have to be paid, so I hope we have very good finance people for this new way of doing business.”
Tamworth’s high profile public toilets and their replacement cost
- Attunga Rest Area Toilets – $80,000
- Barraba Lions Park Toilets – $115,000
- Barraba Rotary Park Toilets – $100,000
- Hyman Road Safety Park Toilets – $120,000
- Manilla Rotary Park Toilets – $40,000
- Marsupial Park Toilets – $80,000
- Moonbi Chook Park Toilets – $80,000
- Moonbi Lookout Toilets – $50,000
- Nundle Jenkins St Public Toilets – $117,000
- Sheba Dam Toilets – $50,000
- Tamworth ANZAC Park Toilet Building – $126,000
- Tamworth Bicentennial Park Toilets – $287,000
- Tamworth Cemetery Toilets – $40,000
- Tamworth Oxley Lookout Ladies’ Toilets – $50,000
- Tamworth Oxley Lookout Men’s Toilets – $50,000
- Tamworth Viaduct Park Public Toilets – $98,000