The future of the public amenities block at Ourimbah is under a cloud, with Newcastle University, which owns the site housing the building and the adjacent hangar building, yet to decide on its future.
Residents were dismayed to find the toilets on the corner of Glen Rd and Jacques St closed in recent weeks with no notice given.
And although they reopened last week, residents are still anxious about a possible permanent closure of the only public toilets in the area.
A Central Coast Council spokesperson confirmed the amenities had been temporarily closed so the water could be turned off for safety purposes to allow for the dismantling of the hangar building.
Since then, Council has negotiated with the University to have the amenities block returned to operational use until June and is continuing to have discussions with the University regarding the toilet facilities and the future of the site.
Council will also engage with the community on the future of public amenities at Ourimbah, the spokesperson said.
The hangar building itself (also referred to as a Nissan Hut) was originally to be dismantled and re-constructed at a (to be determined) site on the University’s Ourimbah campus.
It is now the University’s intention to dismantle and store the building.
Chief Operating Officer David Toll said the university would continue to work closely with Council on how community facilities can be best delivered to the Ourimbah residents and community.
“The Nissen Hut will be dismantled and stored in accordance with the Development Application approval conditions while the university explores opportunities for adaptive reuse,” he said.
But residents are concerned not only at the prospective loss of public amenities, but by the removal of the hut itself.
Member for The Entrance David Mehan, who met on site with residents on site on January 13, said the hut is a World War II period structure which for many years was used as a community hall and was donated in the 1990s to Newcastle University by the Ourimbah School of Arts.
Mehan said the Ourimbah Masterplan recommended re-use of the Nissen Hut be considered to provide a new community centre as part of a new Main Street and Public Square for the town centre.
He said he had resolved to write to both the University and Council seeking return of the land for community use and retention of the public toilet at the site.
“It would appear that Council and the University have conspired to remove another local heritage item and the only public toilets available at the local shopping centre,” he said.
“The land occupied by the hut should be returned to the community and the public toilet retained.”
The Ourimbah Region Residents Association (ORRA) is also pushing for public retention of the land.
President Di Willard said there is great concern within the community that the only public toilet in close proximity to the Ourimbah shops will be permanently closed.
“The iconic Nissen Hut … was donated to the University of Newcastle by the Ourimbah School of Arts in 1995,” she said.
“Since then, the building has been allowed to deteriorate to the point where there is no choice but to demolish it.
“This property was given to the University by the people of Ourimbah and ORRA believes that the University and Council should come to some arrangement so that this site remains in public hands.
“We are suggesting that the site could be used as car park for overflow parking for the Ourimbah shops and/or a public recreation green space.
“The provision of public toilets is vital (to) any outcome.
“We believe there is a moral obligation on the University to return this land to the people of Ourimbah.”
Terry Collins