Barrington Park toilets being considered again

Press, 9 November 1988, Page 9

Barrington Park toilets being considered again

The Barrington Park toilets may yet be built in Barrington Street in the avenue of trees along the park. A plea by the Addington community constable convinced the council’s townplanning committee yesterday to recommend a site in Barrington Street, opposite the end of Kinver Place, about 25m from the library. The site is in line but a few metres south of the original site, rejected by the council last month after residents’ complaint to the Ombudsman. Constable Paul Forman told councillors it was essential for public safety to have the toilet block in a visible location. Equally important was access to ensure regular public use.

He believed that the other sites investigated by council officers were too hidden from the public view and could lead to many calls about suspicious characters lurking about the toilets. That included the site recommended by officers at the Everard Street entrance to the park. A report from the officers looked at four options for sites. Constable Forman said no resident could object to a toilet block being visible when public safety was at stake. He urged the councillors to find a visible location. By moving the site a little south of the original location the block would be opposite a street rather than a house, he said. Councillors felt this was

the best solution and would put the block near — but not too near — the library. Cr Charles Manning, however, believed facilities in a park were for the use of park users. He felt the block should be closer to the part of the park used by sportspeople. Constable Forman said he had seen people relieving themselves behind the hedge round the park. If the toilet block was accesible, that should not happen, he said. Cr Manning felt moving the block only a little way might be seen as not taking due notice of the Ombudsman’s report. Other councillors believed the site opposite Kinver Place was the best site.