![The number of public toilets in the ACT has risen. The number of public toilets in the ACT has risen.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/steve.evans/7697b60f-e469-4431-b655-24ff39149017.jpg/r0_0_3888_2592_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The number of public toilets in the ACT has risen.
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Despite the widespread moaning about a lack of convenient conveniences, official figures show the number maintained by the ACT government has risen sharply over the past 20 years to 134 on the latest count (albeit for 2020).
It's risen faster than the growth of population, up by 50 per cent over the two decades when the population of the ACT has only risen by 32 per cent.
But residents' groups throughout the ACT still say there are not enough, and that they are often not in the right place.
"There's a shortage. Absolutely," the president of the Dickson Residents Group, Jane Goffman, said.
"I just think it's not enough," the president of the Woden Community Council, Fiona Carrick, said.
So what's going on?
Part of the problem may be people get short-tempered when they get caught short. They only notice the absence of a public toilet when they really need one.
Woden's Fiona Carrick cites Torrens shops where she says there is no public toilet. "It's got a playground but no toilet, and the cafes around aren't happy because the public comes to ask them if they can use their toilets," the community leader said.
"People should have access to toilets without going to the local café. We need them at local shops."
Public groups are sometimes conflicted over toilets in their area: they say they want them but not if people they deem undesirable use them. People like toilets when they need them but don't feel easy when down-and-outs use them (though, you might think, but the vulnerable probably need them more than most).
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When the new $7.1 million Molonglo Valley playground was opened, for example, some people in the community objected strongly to public toilets.
The ACT's Suburban Land Agency which was overseeing the development of the new suburb went with the objectors. "A close community made it very clear that they were concerned about the inclusion of a toilet block, and for various reasons, including perceived antisocial behavior associated with toilets, the Suburban Land Agency just had to make the decision to omit the toilets," a spokesperson said.
Public toilets matter particularly for the young and the old (though no doubt in different ways). "I think we need to be able to look at an age-friendly city," former member of the legislative assembly, Caroline Le Couteur, said.
She thinks a planning condition on new developments should be the developer builds public toilets into the plan.
Public toilets cost money to maintain. There's a conflict between keeping them open for long hours, way into the night so everybody gets to use them rather than the nearest bush or worse, but not letting them become a haven for anti-social behaviour.
But the ACT government says it's committed to providing them. New ones are on the way.
"The ACT government continually considers the need for additional public toilet facilities in suburbs subject to urban infill and densification, where further development by private industry is unlikely to take place," a spokesperson said.
"Transport Canberra and City Services will provide four new public toilets in urban open spaces over the next four years including at the Florey shops, Farrer nature play space, Kaleen South shops and Duffy shops. A new toilet will be provided by the developer as part of the development of Denman Prospect.
"In the past year, construction was completed on a new toilet facility near the Tuggeranong Learn to Ride Centre and dog park and a replacement toilet facility was completed at John Knight Memorial Park."
Toilets were ruled out at tram stops. "The network has a short journey time with regular stops and high frequency services," the ACT government said.
"On-street light rail systems generally do not have adequate space to accommodate public toilet facilities and utilities, which is consistent across on-street light rail systems in other Australian jurisdictions."
The furor about a lack of toilets intensified during the Summernats car festival with its influx of more than 100,000 visitors. Some local people complained their gardens were used as toilets.
The ACT government says the responsibility for toilets at an event is with the organisers. "Where existing toilet facilities are inadequate for an event, additional portable units must be made available.
"In determining the number of toilets to be provided for particular events, event organisers need to consider the duration of the event, the type of crowd, whether or not alcohol will be consumed and other factors. Event organisers also need to ensure mandatory (and regular) cleaning of toilets during the event(s)."
This doesn't address how many portable "Tardis" toilets should have been placed for the duration of the event.
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