Ten submissions objected to the proposal for a brick building incorporating a male, female and accessible toilet halfway down the McNamara Street side of the park, based on location, design and safety concerns.

Location suggestions included next to the taxi rank, where toilets were located in the past, the CWA Hall and on the Summer Street frontage, near the bus stop, to benefit patrons leaving licensed venues.

They argued the distance to the toilet would mean hotel patrons would continue to relieve themselves on trees and Anzac veterans would still prefer to use hotels’ toilets.

Paraway Pastoral chief financial officer James Freeman said in his submission the facility would block light into the business’s offices and views to the park.

MAP: Current and past locations and suggestions for the toilets

“It also closes off visibility at night to the entrance to the office creating a significant safety concern for staff leaving,” he said. 

Orange Physiotherapy’s Harry Fardell said his business’s pilates classes in the park had to stop a year ago because intoxicated people were approaching instructors and patrons and police had to be called. 

“With the addition of a toilet facility, this need [for police monitoring] will increase,” he said. 

Michael Evans of Whiteley, Ironside and Shillington argued the design was “not aesthetically pleasing”, prompting staff to recommend wrapping the pergola around the entire building to make it more suitable for its heritage setting.

The heritage adviser had recommended a more symmetrical design, but the council rejected the suggestions due to cost.

“A wrap-around style pergola, with landscaping growing up and over it, could assist in blending the proposed building into the park surrounds,” the report said. 

Staff said any loitering would be noticed and added conditions for lighting.

It dismissed the proximity to businesses, saying there was a sufficient distance not to block access to sunlight.

Previous objections from nearby businesses set the project back years as the council negotiated a design with the CWA, co-locating the toilets with the hall, but budget constraints took hold and the McNamara Street location was revisited. 

Councillors will make a decision on the development application on Tuesday night.

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