Fancy dunny plan provides light relief

BY DAVE BURGESS

The public has spoken - the $400,000 designer dunnies planned for Wellington's waterfront look like a fallopian tube, bulging eyes, or a bra discarded by pop star Madonna.

Wellington City Council wants to build the loos at Kumutoto Wharf, behind pub The Loaded Hog, as part of its draft waterfront development plan, which goes out for public comment this month.

But those enjoying the waterfront sun could barely wait to have their say, including Craig Simeon.

"Oh my God. It looks like something Madonna would have worn in the past ... It is just ugly. What are they supposed to be based on?"

He said the toilets reminded him of the new "rusty looking" Wellington airport terminal now being built, but which was likened by some to a pumpkin.

The toilet design was the winning entry from a competition held between 30 young designers from the Studio of Pacific Architecture.

Dan Scanlon thought the unisex loos would cost about $2.5 million to build and was surprised to learn they would cost about one-sixth of his estimate.

"They look like something internal, maybe a fallopian tube ... but if they are building something like a toilet they should look at functionality and spend the money on more important things."

Nicky Shields also thought the price tag was a bit steep for dunnies she said resembled a pair of binoculars.

"I think it is good to have public facilities and it is good to have the waterfront looking nice but it has to be within reason and $400,000 sounds quite a lot."

That view was backed by Catherine Robertshawe, who thought the toilets looked like the back end of a crayfish.

"It is important to have the dunnies but I don't think it is important to spend that much on them."

Anna Bowbyes said the ablution block looked like two big googly eyes and she thought it would be a good addition to the waterfront. "[But] at this time it is not that appropriate and they would have other projects to spend the money on."

A poll of Dominion Post readers on dompost.co.nz showed 31 per cent of respondents thought the fancy dunnies should be built. However, 46 per cent wanted the council to build bog-standard toilets to save money.

Two of the most recent toilet blocks built by the council at Mt Victoria and in Central Park cost just over $100,000 each.

The remaining 23 per cent of respondents thought the waterfront toilets were too expensive in the present economic climate.

The draft waterfront plan also includes a temporary ice skating rink for Queens Wharf and an indoor soccer venue between Te Papa and Waitangi Park.

A 40-berth campervan park at the bottom of Whitmore St is also proposed and could be open by December.

- © Fairfax NZ News