Northern Ward candidate at the Wellington Shire Council election Jamie Hogan has called for toilets to be built at skate parks around the shire, in particular Stratford, which he believed was isolated and dark at night.
Mr Hogan stated that as a youth worker he had been involved in the developing, building, organised supervision and setting up skate clubs and competitions. He said in the hey day of skate boarding, competitions in some local government areas attracted as many as 800 young people both participating and spectating.
Mr Hogan said skate boarding has had a resurgence in Australia due to its being on the Olympic program and the gold medal wins of Keegan Palmer and Arisa Trew in Paris. Mr Hogan pointed out the community needed to give its young people more dignity and safety and provide these toilets urgently.
In Stratford the closest public toilets are at Lions Park three blocks away and across the Princes Highway and at Maffra, two blocks away and in the medium strip on the main road in the busy shopping precinct.
“It’s easier to just urinate behind a bush or on a fence,” Mr Hogan said.
“This sport is not just limited to young men, there are girls that skate as well and they both attract additional spectators who all need their privacy.
“Secure lock up toilets like the ones located near the Sale skate part in the Port of Sale precinct or on the Commonwealth Bank corner in Raymond St, Sale, would be ideal at these sporting facilities.”
Mr Hogan committed to ask, if elected, council officers to provide detailed costing of building these facilities at Stratford and Maffra skate parks and move these costing be considered for next year’s budget with a view to get the building underway.
