New toilets coming for Kaikōura

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

Kaikōura could have new public toilets ready for the summer influx of visitors.

The Kaikōura District Council has placed an order for new prefabricated units to replace the existing West End toilet, increase capacity at the Mill Rd toilet, and provide a toilet for Churchill Park.

Chief executive Will Doughty said the existing West End toilet block required ongoing maintenance and no longer met the ‘‘modern expectations of public toilets’’.

‘‘We hope they will be ready for Christmas, so this gives us enough time to get them ordered, delivered and installed.

‘‘It is really great that we can get that going.’’

The community has been requesting a public toilet at Churchill Park for some time, while the Mill Rd toilets at the northern end of Kaikōura were heavily used by travellers, Doughty said.

The project will be funded by a $900,000 grant from the previous Government’s ‘‘Better Off’’ fund and a $135,860 grant from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund.

■ Thirteen Kaikōura organisations are set to receive a funding boost.

Doughty said 22 applications were received from local organisations for the council’s $100,000 discretionary grant, with 13 successful.

He said $39,000 will be allocated to the sport and recreation sector, $27,500 to heritage organisations, $18,500 to the arts, $10,000 to community organisations and $5000 for environmental projects.

‘‘It represents quite a good mix of the various organisations in our community,’’ he said.

Most of the unsuccessful applicants did not meet the funding criteria, but there were other funding avenues they could apply for, Doughty said.

The Kaikōura District Council’s discretionary grant will be confirmed in the 2024-34 long-term plan, when it is adopted at the June council meeting.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.