GLENELG Shire Council has defended plans to close Casterton’s Clarke Street toilets in readiness for the opening of its new Australian Kelpie Centre amenities.
The new $1.3m tourism hub will offer modern and inviting public toilet access for the community in the heart of central Casterton, featuring a new visitor information centre, meeting spaces and interpretive kelpie display.
Proposed to open in June in readiness for the Kelpie Muster, Glenelg Shire acting chief executive officer Edith Farrell said the closure of the Clarke Street toilets was determined as a way to offset some proportion of the overall cost of the development.
She said recent negative reports about the closure were ill informed as there had been extensive community consultation.
“The closure of the Clarke Street toilets has been broadly promoted and noted in all forms of consultation around this project,” she said.
“It was outlined on the Glenelg Shire Council Your Say Glenelg website since the proposal was first mooted.
“This website provided the public with an opportunity to have their say over a number of months.
“Whilst the Clarke Street toilets will be closed to the public, they will be considered for opening for larger events where required, such as the Kelpie Muster or the town’s Christmas festival.”
Ms Farrell said the Clarke Street toilets cost council $14,000 annually in cleaning in addition to ongoing maintenance costs.
“Initially council approached local community groups to help with the cleaning and maintenance of the Clarke Street toilets to lower costs, in return enabling the toilets to remain open,” she said.
“Unfortunately, no community groups put their hand up knowing the closure of the toilets was inevitable if council could not lower these costs.
“The business case for the centre’s development identified the option of reducing costs by avoiding running both public toilet amenities.
“Using the new Kelpie Centre amenities, which will be available to the public 24/7, was the most cost effective and sustainable option.”
Ms Farrell reminded community members there were various public toilet options available in close proximity, including the Casterton Library, Island Park and Casterton Farm Supplies.
