Tourism grant to help with toilet upgrades

Nelson can look forward to updated toilet facilities at Tahunanui and Millers Acre thanks to the help of a Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) grant, as agreed by Council on Thursday 19 September.

Nelson City Council has been granted $250,000 from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund to go towards each project, which will help to provide updated amenities at the two popular spots.

 “It is important to meet the increased demand for toilet and changing areas in our city,” Community Services Committee Chair Gaile Noonan says.

“Both of these areas are popular, especially in summer, so it is essential to provide improved and updated facilities to meet the public’s needs.”

The existing Tahunanui Lions Playground toilets will be replaced by a new pre-fabricated building with six toilets, including one accessible toilet and one urinal.

Other features include unisex and family change rooms, three showers, external hand basins, a drinking fountain with bottle filler and foot wash for sand with good drainage.

Millers Acre will also have additional toilets to cope with increasing demand from visitors to the Nelson i-Site and Department of Conservation centre.

The changes would expand the facility to seven toilets including one accessible toilet and additional space for baby changing, one urinal and five unisex toilets.

The projects are estimated to cost Council $650,000 (Tahunanui) and $564,500 (Millers Acre) in addition to the grants, in total over three years as part of the 2018-2028 Long Term Plan.

Both projects are expected to be completed in September 2020.