Construction of the new toilet block at Old Bar beach is set to get underway on 11 October, with the demolition of the existing amenities kicking off the project.
While the new toilet block was initially planned to be constructed directly opposite the skate park, following feedback from the community it will now be built on the same footprint as the existing building.
“We received a range of feedback about the proposed location of the new amenities, including its impact on ocean views, so it’s been decided it will go on the same site as the existing building,” explained Dan Aldridge, MidCoast Council’s Manager of Community Spaces.
“While this amendment to the plans will mean the construction of the toilets will continue through the summer holidays, it’s a positive outcome for the community and we will have temporary toilets in place while construction is underway.”
The new amenities is part of a range of improvements for the Old Bar Beach foreshore area, including the renovations of the nearby surf club and the installation of the all new, inclusive playground.
“This area is a hugely important part of Old Bar so it’s fantastic to see this work taking place to really lift the foreshore,” added Dan.
“We did have requests for the amenities to be relocated closer to the park, but unfortunately this wasn’t possible due to the location of pipes and other services.
“We’ve also decided to incorporate a tribute to the amazing artwork that adorns the existing building, after receiving feedback about its importance to the community, so we’ll be having a panel on the new structure that has images of the artwork.”
Funding for the foreshore revamp has come from a range of State and Federal Government grants with the amenities covered as part of a $1.2million local roads and community infrastructure program grant.
Construction of the toilet block is expected to take about 12 weeks to complete, weather permitting.
Council will continue to update the community as the foreshore work progresses.
