Hobart is flush with fresh toilet facilities after spending $4.52 million building and redeveloping public toilets over the past three financial years, including one upgrade in Salamanca that cost ratepayers more than half a million dollars.
The self-described former "lord mayor of loos" Sue Hickey — now the Member for Denison and Speaker of the Tasmanian Parliament — said the public toilet strategy had been "marvellous" for Hobart, with clean facilities more readily available.
The funds were spent as part of Hobart's 10-year public toilet strategy which began in 2015.
The strategy has a total council price tag of $12.58 million and includes 95 different projects, 31 of which have been completed.
In comparison, the Clarence City Council spent about $1.4 million on capital works for public toilet facilities over the past three years, while the Glenorchy City Council spent $426,000 on toilet construction in the same time period.
The redevelopment of Salamanca Square's toilets cost the Hobart City Council $540,000, while toilets in the HC Smith stand at the TCA ground cost $460,000 to remove and replace.
Toilets at Ancanthe Park were priced at $300,000, and facilities for Wellington Park at Fern Tree cost $250,000.
Ms Hickey said she could not talk enough about how important it was to have upgraded the toilets.
"Everyone should realise just how significant it is," she said.
"If you've got a prostate problem, if you're an elderly woman, if you're a young mum with kids, if you're someone with some disability you really need access to a really clean, healthy toilet.
"Once you've invested in these public spaces and you keep them well maintained you stop vandalism because they're active and accessible.
"Then you're doing a great thing and it saves money in the long run."
More toilets in the pipeline
The new builds also come with counters to keep track of the number of Hobartians getting their money's worth.
The trackers reveal that in an average week 8,500 people use the Salamanca Square facilities, 8,000 do their business in Centrepoint, 6,000 take a tinkle at the pinnacle of kunanyi/ Mount Wellington, and 4,400 spend a penny at Franklin Square.
Construction is underway on toilets in the Argyle St Car Park, Washington St and the Community Hub on the Domain.
Lord Mayor Ron Christie said a further nine toilets were "on the drawing board".
"With public toilets we're doing this for all citizens, but more importantly for parents and our senior citizens," Alderman Christie said.
Alderman Christie said the public toilet strategy did not include the additional costs of maintaining the facilities.
.png?w=600)
