Independent Member for Alfred Cove, Dr Janet Woollard MLA, is hopeful that a proposal to install a public toilet in Applecross Village will be successful.

“The community have been asking the City of Melville to install a public toilet in the Applecross Village for many years,” said Dr Woollard.

“This is a thriving, busy precinct which contains 50 businesses – most of whom do not have toilet facilities available to the public – and at least 2,500 cars passing through the Village each day.

“The supermarket alone has approximately 5,500 customers per week, so there is obviously a great need to have a public toilet here.”

Dr Woollard has been advised that the majority of feedback provided to the City of Melville has been positive, however many members of the local community feel that the position of the public toilet at the entrance could be improved.

In February 2007, the City of Melville proposed putting a public toilet in the centre of the Village but this was not successful, due to community concerns about the design of the toilet block and issues with the sewerage connection.

“The current proposed site at the river end of the Village is close to the sewerage connection,” explained Dr Woollard.

“It could cost at least $40,000 - $100,000 more to put the public toilet near the gazebo in the centre of the Village.”

Dr Woollard has spoken to Mr Greg Brindle, the owner of thegoodgrocer supermarket, who has offered to let the City of Melville access the sewerage line through the car park of his property.  This would allow the City to put the public toilet in the centre of the Village near the gazebo, and could save them the additional $40,000 - $100,000.

“This is a very community-spirited offer that Greg has made and I hope that the City will look into this as a possible alternative to their proposal,” said Dr Woollard.

Feedback surveys are available at Dr Woollard’s office (1/30 Ardross Street), the Applecross Village Newsagency, Deli Chicchi and Cioccolato Espresso Café.