South Waikato District Council is pleased to announce that new toilets will be installed at the Leith Place car park in April, replacing the existing toilets. A thorough assessment by Council found design faults with the existing toilets, resulting in an unsustainable level of maintenance and repair costs. The new toilets, which will be built by Portabuild, will cost around $600,000 to install. The toilets will be constructed off-site and transported to the location in April, taking approximately five days to install. The existing public toilets in Leith Place will continue to operate during this time. Should changes be made to Leith Place, the toilets can be uplifted and relocated.
Mayor Gary Petley said it was regrettable that the existing toilets had become an untenable burden on ratepayers, and action was needed to ensure the community has a fit-for-purpose facility that does not require exorbitant levels of budget for maintenance and repairs.
“These unique toilets were constructed as part of the Leith Place Upgrade Project in 2020. At the time, the Council’s intention was to create a plaza area for visitors and locals to use, provide parking for shoppers, incorporate the existing Talking Poles into a forest, and offer restroom facilities to attract passing traffic off the highway. Unfortunately, while architecturally attractive, the function of these toilets has become a drain on staff time and ratepayer money.”
There may be some minor disruption during the installation process, including temporary restrictions on access around the site. Council will work to minimise any inconvenience and keep the community informed throughout the project. Council is also considering other options for the original architectural features and plans to restore and retain the current artworks.
History of Leith Place Toilets
The toilets were designed by an architectural firm based in Rotorua. The toilet cylinders vary in height from seven to nine metres and consist of a stand-alone enclosed toilet at the base, metal framework with wooden fins along the height, and a shiny disc on the very top. Light is projected back down and through the open fins, creating a dramatic effect at night.
Since their construction in 2020, the Leith Place toilets have won three awards: the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Best Loo Awardin 2022, which recognises the best public toilet in the country; the Waikato/BoP New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) award; and a regional award from Architectural Design New Zealand (ADNZ). Both of the latter wins saw the Leith Place toilets shortlisted for national awards.
