An Orange city councillor has photographed a man urinating in Robertson Park in daylight saying it highlighted the lack of public toilets in the park.
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Cr Kevin Duffy showed the photographs to council’s latest meeting and called on council to speed up efforts to build the facilities.
He said Robertson Park was a “piddle, puddle park.”
Cr Duffy, a bus driver, said he had stopped near the park at about 3pm for a rest when he spotted the man.
“I saw him urinating in the park. I’ve got photos of it,” he told council.
On Tuesday Cr Duffy said the man did not appear to be homeless.
“He was about 45-50. He was just a normal guy,” he said.
“I was about to have a rest and then I see this happen.
“Sure its anti-social behaviour but there are no toilets in Robertson Park.”
Cr Duffy said toilets had not been provided in the park since the 1970s.
He said the lack of toilets was a significant problem.
Cr Duffy said businesses operating in McNamara Street were fed-up with people using an adjacent lane as a toilet.
He said the park was used for many high-profile public events including food markets and the Anzac Day dawn service.
“On Anzac Day where are the diggers going to go?
“The nearby hotels are all closed,” he said.
Council spokesman Nick Redmond said council had developed plans to provide public toilets in Robertson Park by expanding the CWA hall.
“After considering quotes from builders to construct the toilets, last December’s council meeting decided not to accept any tenders and instead negotiate with the tenderers,” he said.
“Those negotiations are currently underway and a report will be brought back to a future council meeting.”
Council considered the tenders in a closed session last year.
The proposed works, estimated at $228,000, would involve the partial demolition of the CWA hall and the addition of toilets, including disabled access and a disabled toilet inside the hall.
It was favoured over a $95,000 proposal.
That featured two public toilets and a disability toilet adjacent to the hall with a fenced-off area.
Businesses and market operators had previously opposed a facility on McNamara Street.