An extra 31 public toilets at sporting facilities will be open to the public after Central Coast Council adopted a long-term plan that includes keeping toilets open during the day for public use when sporting events are not occurring.
The public toilet strategy will also see a 12-year plan that includes 13 new public toilets to be constructed, 29 to be renewed and seven existing public toilets to be closed.
And Council will implement new technology that will automatically open and close the public toilet network.
This will eliminate the need for a security patrol to close and open public toilets across the Coast every day.
Blue Lagoon Public Toilets at Bateau Bay will be retained for a period of time while discussions with NSW Government agencies occur to progress an agreement on suitable access arrangements for their maintenance and operation.
Should an arrangement be established, the Blue Lagoon Public Toilet will be retained in service.
There was talk around how much time should be given for those discussions, but the minutes have yet to be published to show the final outcome.
A report will go to the Infrastructure and Assets Committee if an arrangement cannot be established prior to Blue Lagoon Public Toilet being closed and demolished.
The possible retaining of the Blue Lagoon toilets was one of the amendments to the policy made after it went on public exhibition last year.
The revised plan was adopted at the July 22 meeting.
Other amendments included: retaining both Bush Street Reserve Public Toilets at Norah Head and Bluebell Park Public Toilets, Berkeley Vale; keeping Hardys Bay Public Toilets while the location of a renewed public toilet building will be informed by the current master planning process; and the renewal of the Pretty Beach Tennis Public Toilets will include the provision of a like for like sheltered area for tennis players within the public toilet building.
Child holding frames will be considered as part of future revisions of the Public Toilet strategy.
The Mangrove Mountain toilets are being upgraded, with a septic system to replace the drop toilets, including the provision of hand washing facilities, as part of the maintenance budget, by the end of June 2027.
