Parents are expressing their anger following the announcement that a local park’s toilets will close on Monday, at the start of the summer holidays, for refurbishment work.
The toilets are being temporarily closed as part of a £3.3 million contract to improve and modernise the facilities at Alice Park and across the local area.
The lease of the contract to Healthmatic Ltd will also provide comprehensive cleaning and management services for the next fifteen years.
Alice Park is one of thirteen existing public conveniences being modernised serving parks, play areas, green spaces and key transport hubs.
Once refurbished, the use of facilities will be charged at 20p, in order to make the contract sustainable.
The number of cubicles in the park will also reduce to just two, though both will be unisex.
While the work takes place, portaloos will be in place at the park for visitors to use.
One local resident, Debbie Stevenson, sent NOW Bath a copy of an email she sent to Councillor David Dixon regarding the temporary closure.
In her email, she said: “I have 2 sons aged 2 and 4, my 4 year old is still not at an age where he can tell me in sufficient time that he needs the toilet.
“Quite often while we are in the park he is so excited by playing that I have to carry him and run to the toilet in order to get him there on time.
“If there were only 2 toilets, which I would have to pay 20p for, it is more than likely we would have to wait for the toilet when we got there plus it is more than likely I would not have 20p which would result in one very upset 4 year old as he has wet himself.
“We go to the park at least once a week, usually more than this, sometimes for up to 6 hours. How on earth are you expecting me to go through this and pay 20p each time?
“Paying for toilets in a park which is frequented by young children and the elderly is entirely inappropriate. The only result of this will be people weeing whereever they can rather than pay to use the toilet. This is not going to result in a nice environment within the park.”
A spokesperson from Bath and North East Somerset Council said: “There will be temporary toilets at Alice Park provided during the improvement works which will last 2-3 weeks, from Monday 28 July. We have asked our contractors to complete this work as quickly as possible to minimise disruption.
“The installation of two cubicles is based on user counts. When big events are held in parks, organisers are required to hire in portable toilets. This will continue to be the case. We will continue to closely monitor usage and demand at all locations.”
You can see more on this story on the Bath Mums website here.
