Shoppers brand public toilets in Camberwell ‘inadequate and unhygienic’

PUBLIC toilets used by thousands of shoppers during the bustling Camberwell Sunday market have been branded dirty and unhygienic.

N21pp107 Ruth Hargrave is fed up with the state of the toilets underneath Camberwell Safeway and Target in the carpark. She ...

PUBLIC toilets used by thousands of shoppers during the bustling Camberwell Sunday market have been branded dirty and unhygienic.

Residents, Boroondara council and Woolworths have all acknowledged the poor state of the Station St public toilets, which are maintained by centre management at the shared Woolworths and Target­ complex.

Canterbury’s Ruth Hargrave complained the toilets were “inadequate and unhygienic” and called on the council to provide better facilities in the area.

“Boroondara Council is one of Melbourne’s wealthiest councils and yet does not provide adequate facilities for the many people who flock to the Sunday market, the fruit and vegetable market and the shopping strip at Camberwell,” she said.

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But City of Boroondara’s acting inspector of infrastructure Charles Turner said there was sufficient toilet access in the area, with public toilets 250m from the market area at 260 Camberwell Rd and more at The Well shopping complex, which is 700m away.

Mr Turner said the council had received complaints about the condition of the Station St toilets and had called for centre management to better maintain the facilities.

“Council has expressed concerns on numerous occasions ... regarding the poor condition of these facilities and requested the frequency of cleaning be increased to meet usage demand,” Mr Turner said.

“Council’s health department is now monitoring these toilets through the appropriate enforcement mechanism, to ensure these toilets are maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.”

Woolworths spokeswoman Bianca Agius said it was working with centre management to improve the state of the toilets. Progress Leader was unable to contact centre management.