Relief as new toilets fully open in time for summer holidays

The new public toilets in The Carrs will be fully operational from later today.

The building contains two unisex toilets with baby changing facilites, one of which is a disabled toilet. They will be open from 8am to 6pm daily.

There is a 20p charge to use the toilets, which will go towards covering the cleaning and maintenance costs, and since Friday afternoon, when the first of the two toilets was opened, it has been used by 256 people.

The toilet block also includes a refreshment kiosk which Wilmslow Town Council hope to have open in the next few weeks. As well to providing an additional facility for park users, it will generate an income which the Town Council will use to help cover ongoing costs.

The overall cost of the project is in the region of £108,000, £30,000 of which has come from section 106 monies passed over by Cheshire East Council and Wilmslow Town Council are covering the rest.

Town Clerk Matthew Jackson said "The project was an aspiration of Macclesfield Borough Council and later Cheshire East Council long before Wilmslow Town Council came in to existence but didn't progress mainly due to capital funding issues.

"The Town Council initially identified a need when a number of residents brought this matter to our attention not long after the Council was formed. The Town Council consulted with the Friends of the Carrs Group who undertook a survey to try to identify the extent of the demand before discussing with Cheshire East Council as to how Wilmslow Town Council could assist in taking the project forwards.

"It soon became apparent that the best way forward was to take the lead, to lease land off Cheshire East Council and to have Section 106 funding passed directly over to us."

Matthew added "Having seen the closure of many public toilet facilities in Cheshire East over recent years, including those in Wilmslow town centre, due to the ongoing costs of cleaning and maintenance, the Town Council was keen to deliver a project that would eliminate most if not all of these ongoing costs. The decision to include a kiosk as part of the block added to the capital costs of the project but will be a major factor in ensuring the longevity of a well cleaned, well maintained toilet facility without further significant burden on the public purse."

He continued "The kiosk letting is progressing quickly, we are delighted that there was significant competing commercial interest in the site and look forward to a high quality operator providing an additional facility to the benefit of park users in the years to come."

Additionally a defibrillator has been installed on an external wall of the toilet block which has been provided by Beneficial Life having identified a need following discussion with Wilmslow Town Council, The Friends of the Carrs ,Wilmslow Parkrun and The Rotary Club of Wilmslow Dean who are partners in the new Rota Gym installation.

Tags:
Public Toilets, The Carrs, Wilmslow Town Council
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Julian Barlow
Wednesday 26th July 2017 at 3:54 pm
Anyone who considers a public toilet "aspirational" in the 21st century and subsequently spends £108,000 on such a project shouldn't be in charge of putting on their own pants. The town council are a force for good but CEC could make patting a dog more complicated and expensive than a shuttle launch.
Manuel Golding
Wednesday 26th July 2017 at 4:10 pm
Mathew Jackson would appear to be flushed with success.
A terrific additional convenience forThe Carrs.
Oliver Romain
Sunday 30th July 2017 at 10:15 pm
Yes yes well done. Now get on and reopen the toilets in the local library. It's criminal that library users are literally barred from using the existing toilets. Holmes Chapel residents are allowed to use the toilet when in the library. These facilities are already there and functioning and could be reopened immediately if any elected officials cared.
David Hoyle
Monday 31st July 2017 at 8:41 pm
Who would clean and maintain the toilets in the library. What about reopening the toilets on Sainsburys car park.