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Relief at last for park users who need the loo

01 February 2007

EDITORIAL - herts.advertiser@archant.co.uk

SPENDING a penny could get easier for visitors to a Harpenden park.

After years of campaigning in the town, St Albans District Council is to talk to service providers Leisure Connection about making toilets in the sports centre available to users of Rothamsted Park.

Sport and Healthy Living Portfolio Holder Cllr Sheila Burton said the company already had an informal agreement with the council that park users could visit the toilets but agreed that it should be formalised.

She was speaking in a debate on a proposal from Cllr Julian Daly calling for the council's cabinet to consider making money available in next year's budget to provide toilets in the park.

Cllr Daly said: "We have been trying for years to get this into the budget but it has continually been kicked into the long grass. Rothamsted Park is extremely well used and there is a need for public toilet facilities."

He maintained that staff at the leisure centre clearly did not know about the informal agreement because he had been turned away when in the park with his children.

But he added: "I agree that it would be better to have toilets available in a controlled environment such as the leisure centre rather than a stand-alone facility."

Cllr Paul Foster also felt there was a pressing need for toilet facilities in the park but was not in favour of a new building to provide the facility.

After the meeting Cllr Burton said the proposal was that a disabled toilet which was directly inside the entrance to the sports centre should be made available to visitors to the park.It would be under the control of people on the reception desk and they would let one person through at a time.

Cllr Daly said: "This is not exactly what I had in mind but it is better than nothing, although we will have to see how it works out.

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