Users of the Warren Cole Shared Path, Skate Park and Ocean Playground will be pleased to know the River Edge Park toilet block has had a significant upgrade and is again open for business.

Whakatāne District Council received a $52,200 grant from the Lions Foundation to carry out the upgrade, which provided for the creation of the accessibility toilets, improved lighting and floor surfacing. 

Council supplemented this funding with an additional $80,000 in its budget to enable the replacement of the roof and guttering system, internal and external paint work, and new tiling, fittings, partitions and concrete paths. A next phase will be decorating the block with artwork in the near future so for now it’s ‘watch this space’.

General Manager Community Experience Georgina Fletcher says it’s sometimes the simple things that make a big difference to a community experience. “This is a well-loved public space by many residents and visitors, so having facilities that provide for everyone is really important,” she says.

“We’re grateful for the funding received from the Lions Foundation which has meant we can provide wheelchair/mobility accessible toilets and general improvements. The local contractors working on this project have done some fantastic work, and we’re pleased to be able to reopen what is often an underrated asset – a decent public toilet.”

Ms Fletcher notes that upgrades to public amenities are part of Council’s ongoing maintenance programme. “We’ve been listening to the feedback we’re getting from the community on priority areas and including this into our planning works for the coming financial year and beyond.”