Work starts on new $6.3m toilet, shower and change room block at Coogee Beach

BEACH-goers at Coogee will benefit from a toilet block with showers, change rooms, lockers, a new Lifeguard Officer and kiosk after work started on the $6.37m project.

Eddie Dang, project manager for Cockram Construction, Randwick Mayor Noel D'Souza and council’s project manager John Brandon at the construction site on the lower promenade at Coogee Beach. Picture: Craig Wilson

BEACH-goers at Coogee will benefit from a toilet block with showers, change rooms, lockers, a new Lifeguard Officer and kiosk after work started on the $6.37m project.

The new block will be situated on the lower promenade at Coogee Beach and will include 21 new toilets, 12 showers, male and female change rooms and a family change area.

Mums of bubs will also be thrilled to hear there will be two baby change rooms situated in the family area which will be accessible for people with disabilities.

An artist's impression of the new toilets to be constructed at Coogee Beach.

A residents’ survey in 2014 found that 73 per cent supported plans for new toilets on Coogee promenade, 40 per cent believed existing facilities were poor and 69 per cent said there was a need for more toilets, change rooms and showers closer to the beach.

“We’re really excited construction is underway, as many residents have told us that there is a need for more toilets, change rooms and showers closer to the beach,” Randwick Mayor Noel D’Souza said.

“We’ve designed the new facilities to ensure there is no loss of public open space.

“Plus, the existing toilets at Goldstein Reserve will be maintained, so effectively we will have almost tripled the capacity of these facilities for beachgoers.”

Cr D’Souza officially broke ground on construction of the toilet block on Tuesday and work is expected to be completed in 2017.

The beach will remain open at all times while work is ongoing and Randwick Council’s lifeguards have been temporarily relocated to the centre promenade.

The new block of toilets, showers and change rooms at Coogee Beach will be completed by 2017.