Cairns councillors endorse $1.3m toilet facilities renewal program to build six fresh public toilet blocks
The council, including the “councillor for public urination”, voted unanimously in favour of six revamped or brand new toilet blocks in the Cairns region. See where they are.
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Six fresh toilet blocks will embellish parks and public areas throughout Cairns after the council voted to award a $1.3m building works contract to a local social enterprise.
A new public toilet block will be plonked in the Lakes Park at Mount Sheridan while toilet blocks at Brinsmead’s Glenoma Park, East Trinity’s Giangurra Esplanade, Gordonvale’s Johnson Park, and Trinity Beach’s Possum Park and Vallance Park will be upgraded and refurbished to meet compliance within the Disability Discrimination Act.
Toilet puns abounded in a lighthearted moment of the council’s Wednesday planning meeting as all councillors pushed the motion through.
Division 3 councillor Cathy Zeiger said she was “pumped” about the new toilet block coming to Lakes Park in her division.
“We won’t have people going to the toilet in the foliage anymore, which will be so good,” Cr Zeiger said.
She also took the opportunity to ask if the works would include beautification such as flushing the blocks’ walls with bucolic artwork.
But when council officers dithered she suggested she might throw some of her future discretionary funding toward such tasks.
“Maybe we could get someone to do some nice artwork on it, I’d love to see that … happy to put my funds towards that,” she said.
Division 2 councillor Rob Pyne also squeezed in some comments, calling himself as the “councillor for public urination” in reference to previous, isolated support for the state government’s move to decriminalise anti-social behaviour.
Cr Pyne requested information on the process of applying for toilet block refurbishments as he was aware of oft-frequented dunnies in his division in need of future work.
Meeting chair Terry James, in jest, suggested Cr Pyne “bang the table” as loud as Cr Zeiger had, but was quickly corrected by council’s director of lifestyle and community Destry Puia.
“There is a hierarchy of need,” Mr Puia said.
“Usage, the age of the facility, the ability to maintain that facility as opposed to knocking it down … are all part of that matrix.”
Division 9 councillor Brett Olds shouted across the room: “bang the table Rob”.
“Now you’ve started something, Cr Zeiger,” Cr James added in closing.
Bama Projects, a contractor that focuses on the employment of Indigenous peoples, secured the tender with a $1,286,581 bid.
According to a report prepared by council officer Andrew Baxter, the building works will commence before the end of the 2022/23 financial year and have an approved end date of October 31, 2023.
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Originally published as Cairns councillors endorse $1.3m toilet facilities renewal program to build six fresh public toilet blocks
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