By XAVIER SMERDON
POINT Cook has a wee problem that needs to be addressed urgently, according to residents.
Wyndham Council candidate Mohamed Isah said residents had raised the issue of a lack of public toilets in the suburb, describing it as an annoying and preventable failure to properly plan local parks and recreation facilities.
“We have many beautiful parks in Point Cook with barbecue facilities and great play equipment, but there are no public toilets in most of them,” Mr Isah said.
“Our community encourages people to get out and about, walking, and cycling, to get the exercise they need, but there are no facilities to makes this easier for families.
“This is a failure to plan ahead and provide basic services. It is just cheap and neglectful.”
Point Cook mother Kerry Bell said she first noticed the lack of public toilets after trying to organise her child’s birthday party at a park.
“You can’t plan a kid’s birthday party or outing at a park without a toilet. It just isn’t practical,” Ms Bell said.
“I understand not every park or playground can have a toilet, but I can only think of one in Point Cook that does. That’s a big contrast to other areas of Wyndham.”
The National Public Toilet Map, which is an initiative of the Federal Government’s Department of Health and Ageing, shows that Point Cook only has three toilets located at parks or reserves despite having a population of 32,413 residents.
In contrast, Little River, which is shared by Wyndham Council and the City of Greater Geelong, has eight toilets at parks or reserves even though 1393 people live there.
“I am campaigning on getting back to basics, and the provision of basic toilet services is about the most basic issue there is. We all need to go to the toilet,” Mr Isah said.
