Toilet Closure Concerns – Cheltenham Gloucestershire
Are Cheltenham Council Taking The ........
Another beautiful spring day, people out walking around the Cotswold town of Cheltenham – lapping up the sunshine, enjoying the walks in the gorgeous parks when suddenly that cry from a child; “I need the toilet!!!”
Well, it is happening right now in Sanford Park – just behind the Lido, where the council have a perfectly set out play area for children with swings and slides, climbing frames and a toilet facility which is “CLOSED” to the public. Yes, I appreciate that facilities need to be maintained, yes they have to be closed in the winter because of lack of use, but come on CBC, we have had two staggering weeks of sunshine and you still haven’t opened them.
Here is the problem: “We as a family use the facilities in Sandford Park on a regular basis, and I can’t remember once over the last 3 weeks when we have visited the play area with our son (who is 4 years old) and not found less than 8 or 10 children playing in the childrens area.
And hand on heart, I have seen on more than one occasion – parents having to suspend children in mid flight over shrubs and bushed area’s so they can relieve themselves. And please, don’t tell me “they can hold it till they get home!”
We contacted Cheltenham Borough Council and advised that the toilets were undergoing refurbishment, and would re-open on the weekend 16th/17th April – 2011. We arrived at the play area on Saturday to find them still “CLOSED” – so made another call this morning.
This time, we were given the number of John Reece who is in charge of the Council Public Amenities – he advised that there was a “blockage” issue, and that they had notified Severn Trent to investigate. In the mean time, he also mentioned that due to council cut backs, that there was no guarantee this facility would be opened in the future, and should we wish the take this further – to speak with Roger Whybourn MP.
We have now spoken to Roger Whybourn, who advised that this is not the only block of toilets to be closed – with Coxs’ Meadow having been closed as of the 1st April 2011.
At what point will these cut backs stop – do we need children to start playing in other childrens’ excretion, do they have to fall i’ll and cost the NHS more money for medical assistance, drugs and follow up checks… ???
The only way to get this heard is to stand up, bring the point to the table and see how long it takes the council to find alternative funding to keep health risk at a minimum – and remove some of those useless traffic wardens from the town centre, who find extremely long spells talking to taxi drivers parked in Royal Well, where they should not be parked anyway. (Yes, I got a ticket recently… fair cop.)
Tell us what you think, and let us get some steam up and give the council what for.
