New public loo causes stink
Several residents were so unhappy about the location of a new public loo that they confronted the digger driver starting construction.
Hobsonville Point residents have spoken out about the placement of a public toilet at Linear Park directly opposite an apartment block and outdoor seating, including Hobsonville Point Cafe and Indian Summer restaurant.
Residents said they are not against the toilet, but do not want to see it directly opposite cafes with facilities of their own.
Resident Linda Smith said she was under the impression its location was still being negotiated until the digger showed up at the site which faces the eateries on De Havilland Rd.
The location of the toilet was a ’’shock’’, she said. It was thought the facility would be put further along the road at the end of Baffin St, as in a photo that accompanied a story about the toilet in a Hobsonville Point Residents’ Society newsletter, she said.
‘‘Everybody agrees there is a need for a public toilet by the kids’ park, but the placement of the toilet is where the problem lies.’’
Three locals confronted the digger contractor beginning work on October 7. Installation has since been halted, and the location is being reviewed.
Upper Harbour Local Board chairwoman Lisa Whyte said there have been more requests for a toilet from the community than complaints, which had come from residents opposite. She said businesses and apartments had been considered when deciding the toilet’s location.
However, the toilet’s current consented site is six to seven metres further along from the original agreed location, she said. The original location was found to be above a sewage line, which increased costs.
Auckland Council head of project delivery John Schermbrucker said proximity to utilities such as power and waste water were key factors in the toilet’s location, including the reason it was not closer to the playground.
Indian Summer restaurant owner TC Suresh said he was ‘‘not at all happy’’ about the location and had assumed it would be installed at end of Baffin St.
Schermbrucker said the council are now investigating options to install the toilet six to seven metres to the northwest. Alternatives will go back to the board for a final decision.