Blackheath Memorial Park is a most beautiful public park - sweeping lawns & mature rhododendrons surround three kids play areas, a duck pond & free BBQ facility. But without adequate PUBLIC TOILETS it's underused by families & does not fulfill Council's stated aims for Child Friendly City either.
This is why FoBP&MP suggested Council look at ways to better utilise existing facilities within The Pool Pavilion. Currently these are closed to the public for eight months & open only during the four-month swimming seeason December to March each year.
BM Gazette article "Blackheath Pool plans scuttled by council" 18-May-11**
**NB the original BMCC Capital Works budget for the stand-alone toilets (which remains extant as result of this last Council meeting decision) is *$400K* - not $300K - as stated in this Gazette article!!
Even more reason to open access to Pavilion toilets.
Showing posts with label kiosk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kiosk. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Park TOILETS issue at Council 10-May-11
BACKGROUND
Two years ago, Council’s own proposal to spend $400,000 on brand new toilets at Blackheath Memorial Park prompted FoBP&MP to suggest sharing the existing TOILETS at Blackheath Pool, consequently SAVING Council perhaps $300,000. So, in March last year, Council requested a Report to look into this matter. FoBP&MP found the resulting report inadequate. So we suggested a deferral of any decisions, ahead of a more considered report, with a more creative solution.
AT COUNCIL 10-May-11
The Memorial Park / Blackheath Pool fence line & year-round access to toilets matter came back to Council last Tuesday. Sadly it didn’t go as we hoped.
FoBP&MP felt the report in the Business Paper & Option B (the recommendation) lost the central notion of our suggestion – to share the Pavilion toilets with Park users.
So we spoke against the recommendation, & Cr Gibbs raised a deferral motion on our behalf – requesting a more in depth report. Cr Mays seconded this deferral motion.
Ward 4 Crs Greenhill & Creed spoke strongly against our deferral motion.
They persisted in seeing our position as a proposal to SPEND MORE on Blackheath Pool, & seemed unable to conceive that we were bringing a matter to Council that would SAVE money.
Four Councillors were absent – Crs Hamilton, McLaren, Luchetti & Clark - however the debate lasted a good half hour!!
Their position won.
No deferral, and report recommendations rejected.
This means the $400K allocation remains in Capital Works forward estimates for 2012-13 for a new separate toilet block.
And this proposed new toilet block remains in the Park Plan of Management.
So we don’t feel this is a huge loss.
We are forging links with those involved in the Child Friendly City proposals (adequate toilets being critical to kid-friendly parks) AND hope to revisit this matter, possibly in tandem with a ‘centenary of WW1’ rejuvenation of the Memorial Park.
Two years ago, Council’s own proposal to spend $400,000 on brand new toilets at Blackheath Memorial Park prompted FoBP&MP to suggest sharing the existing TOILETS at Blackheath Pool, consequently SAVING Council perhaps $300,000. So, in March last year, Council requested a Report to look into this matter. FoBP&MP found the resulting report inadequate. So we suggested a deferral of any decisions, ahead of a more considered report, with a more creative solution.
AT COUNCIL 10-May-11
The Memorial Park / Blackheath Pool fence line & year-round access to toilets matter came back to Council last Tuesday. Sadly it didn’t go as we hoped.
FoBP&MP felt the report in the Business Paper & Option B (the recommendation) lost the central notion of our suggestion – to share the Pavilion toilets with Park users.
So we spoke against the recommendation, & Cr Gibbs raised a deferral motion on our behalf – requesting a more in depth report. Cr Mays seconded this deferral motion.
Ward 4 Crs Greenhill & Creed spoke strongly against our deferral motion.
They persisted in seeing our position as a proposal to SPEND MORE on Blackheath Pool, & seemed unable to conceive that we were bringing a matter to Council that would SAVE money.
Four Councillors were absent – Crs Hamilton, McLaren, Luchetti & Clark - however the debate lasted a good half hour!!
Their position won.
No deferral, and report recommendations rejected.
This means the $400K allocation remains in Capital Works forward estimates for 2012-13 for a new separate toilet block.
And this proposed new toilet block remains in the Park Plan of Management.
So we don’t feel this is a huge loss.
We are forging links with those involved in the Child Friendly City proposals (adequate toilets being critical to kid-friendly parks) AND hope to revisit this matter, possibly in tandem with a ‘centenary of WW1’ rejuvenation of the Memorial Park.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Poolside e-news No.3
Welcome to a Poolside e-news focussed on attendance.
- as you’d know we suddenly have a flush of summer – water temperatures over recent days have hovered close to 25C;
- both memberships & casual visits are up over previous years;
- season-wide patronage has been better than expected considering variable weather;
- an indication of high patronage is the kiosk completely running out of stock last weekend!!
- yesterday 150-odd thru gate;
- perhaps BMCC/FoBP&MP hard work on promoting The Pool is paying off at last?
- we hope tomorrow - Australia Day - will see patronage close to records set on New Year’s Day ;)
- Pool Supervisor Jake Burton will provide detailed patronage statistics to FoBP&MP meeting on 10 February;
- part of the lawn is well enough to open this afternoon, and with luck all will open tomorrow;
- as an bonus the magnolia tree is in full bloom wafting heavy perfume on the breezes;
- Come on down The Pool & enjoy
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