‘Belongs in Blacktown’: Sydney class war erupts over Paddington toilet

A new public toilet has sparked outrage among residents of affluent Sydney suburb, with one resident suggesting the loo is more suited to the city’s western suburbs.

A western Sydney mayor has hit back at residents of an affluent inner-city suburb who are too “posh to pee in public toilets” after it was suggested an “ugly” new lavatory in Paddington be relocated to Blacktown.
Dozens of Paddington residents had their feathers ruffled after a ‘modern-looking’ loo was installed on Oxford Street on the corner of a carpark between Mitre 10 and a Telstra communications building last week.

Labelling the design an “abomination”, one upset resident told The Sydney Morning Herald the toilet did not match the “heritage” look of the area and suggested it was more suited to the city’s western suburbs.

“You can put it in Blacktown or something, but not in Paddington. It’s just an eyesore … If you’re going to design something for Paddington, surely you’d design something more sensitive,” the woman told the publication.

“It’s incredibly shiny, plonked there as if to say, ‘Look at me!’ It’s shiny, it’s silver, it’s modern.”

The public triolet was installed on Oxford Street last week. Picture: 9News

Other residents expressed similar sentiments on social media.

“Ugly addition to an already ugly building. Maybe the council could ask Mitre 10 to supply some plants to adorn/beautify the place?” one person wrote.

“I saw it the other day and it stuck out like a sore thumb,” said another.

Another bluntly declared the design “fugly”.

The installation of toilet comes amid reports of public urination, with sports fans said to be relieving themselves outside houses in the area after leaving the nearby Allianz Stadium in Moore Park.

The toilet will operate from sunrise to midnight and be cleaned twice a day. It will also have automated self-cleaning mechanism.

‘We’re not a toilet’

Mayor of Fairfield Frank Carbone was quick to hit back at the perception of western Sydney - which is home for 2.6 million-odd Aussies - and come to the defence of the neighbouring suburb.

“Some people in Paddington believe that when nature calls in the East, they are too posh to pee or poo in public toilets, in the sight of their heritage buildings and instead a public toilet belongs in the West,” he wrote in a post on Facebook, which garnered praise among locals.

“We will take more public toilets, but I got news for you, when nature calls it's the same in Paddington as it is out West.”

Some residents have slammed the ugly, modern design. Picture: 9News

Speaking to news.com.au, Mr Carbone condemned the comments and suggested a window be installed in the toilet so Paddington residents can gaze upon the heritage sights while using the bathroom.

“Perhaps it would make it a more scenic view and encourage people to use the bathrooms, especially given the problem they allegedly have of people going to the bathroom in public spaces.”

Mr Carbone said it’s a shame there’s a stigma towards the west, stressing it only leads to a divided city.

“We’re not a toilet in the western suburbs, we are the engine room of Sydney,” he said.

“This is with where families grow up and make their home. They are very hard working people who live out here, and we don’t need anybody from Paddington, posh or not, who doesn’t want a toilet outside their front yard to say that they should send it to the western suburbs.”

Fairfield City Council Mayor Frank Carbone. Picture: Supplied to news.com.au

“There’s a lack of education and knowledge (about the west). People in different postcodes need to understand how we’re all one city, and we’re all people, we’re all families, no matter where we live, east or west, and there’s no need to downgrade different areas and provide a stigma to an area when you really have no idea. I’m sure most people in the East aren’t like that, but it’s unfortunate that some still feel that way.”

In a tongue-in-cheek comment, he said the resident behind the comment “might not know that when the west flushes, it all ends up in the east anyway.”

Most of Sydney’s sewage is pumped out to sea via sewage treatment plants at Bondi, Malabar and North Head.

Blacktown MP, Chris Bowen, has also hit back at the response, condemning those who use his electorate as “a derogatory term”.

“To the people of Paddington,” he wrote on Facebook. “I know this comment doesn’t represent the views of all of you …

“I don’t have a view about the proposal to build a public toilet – I’ll leave that one with you.

“But Blacktown isn’t a derogatory term. It’s a vibrant, exciting community that I’m proud to get the opportunity to represent.”

Like Mr Carbone, he reminded Sydney residents they live in the “one city”.

“We don’t need you running down the million people who live in Western Sydney.”

A spokesperson for the City of Sydney said public toilets contribute to Sydney’s liveability.

“We aim to provide public toilets within 400m of any point within Central Sydney, village centres, and at major neighbourhood parks that have large playgrounds and outdoor recreation facilities,” the spokesman said in a comment to news.com.au.

“The City’s 2014 public toilet strategy identifies areas where a public toilet was recommended and would be beneficial to the community.”

The Paddington public toilet has been installed in line with this strategy and as with all public domain upgrades, was subject to development approval, which included community feedback, before the installation.

The spokesperson noted the toilet received “mixed” community feedback, but noted that reaction is “common with DAs for public toilets”.

“The site selected was strategically well placed and facilitated convenient access for pedestrians, cyclists and people with disability.

“We always balance the need for these facilities against any community concerns.”