New toilets are in the pipeline for Ōamaru’s Awamoa Park.

The Waitaki District Council has received $172,000 from round 6 of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Tourism Infrastructure Fund, to replace the existing toilet block, which has “reached the end of its useful life”, council recreation project and assets officer Mark Burgher said.

The funding was applied for in March last year, and approved last month. The council will also contribute $250,000 toward the toilets.

“The Awamoa Park toilet block . . . no longer meets current hygiene standards and [is] difficult to keep clean. The existing block will be demolished and replaced with a new toilet block.”

The team behind the project has selected a unisex three-pan toilet block with a wheelchair-friendly fourth pan.

A 1200mm-wide concrete path will lead up to the block, and will be further supported by a new accessible parking space in front of the toilets. There will also be a drinking fountain on the side of the block, Mark said.

“We chose this particular style of toilet block as they are easy to install, maintain and come prefabricated, reducing site construction time. They are also low maintenance, and the modern surfaces are easy to keep hygienic and clean.”

The new toilets will be built and operational before the old toilets are decommissioned. To enable this, the new block will be slightly closer to the main highway, and slightly further in towards the oval, to take advantage of the existing utilities.

Awamoa Park is situated in south Ōamaru, opposite the New World, and is used by sports groups year round, while the picnic tables are popular with those travelling through town.

The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The new toilet block will be closer to State Highway 1, and further in to the park towards the oval.