By Jaidyn Kennedy
A Werribee resident is urging Wyndham council to increase and improve public toilet accessibility for the elderly and ambulant in the vacinity of Watton Street.
Lorraine Chisholm,76, cares for her 81-year-old husband Anthony, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease and said the existing facilities are difficult to use.
According to Mrs Chisholm, two of the biggest inadequacies of existing facilities in the area, both council-owned and at nearby venues, are a lack of hand rails and the toilets being too small.
“Elderly and disabled people need a bar in these toilets or they will fall over and hurt themselves,” she said.
“I get upset and my husband gets upset trying to use them [current toilets].”
While Ms Chisholm said she had explored alternatives such as local cafes and pubs, these also lack the required accessible amenities, leaving her husband with limited options for suitable restrooms during outings.
Another challenge she identified and asked the council to consider when building new toilets was the actual ability to get to a disabled toilet without having to pass through a non-ambulant one first.
“To get into the disability toilets at a lot of these venues, you have to go through the men’s toilet first.”
She said the issue affects others in Werribee and that council has ignored her regular requests for action.
“Tony is not the only one that suffers – some people hang on to it and have accidents,” she said.
“It has been going on for four years and I just want to make life easier.The council isn’t listening and they bury their heads in the sand.”
A Wyndham City spokesperson said council would investigate the Comben Drive Public Toilet facility and whether a handrail can be installed.
“In 2023, council adopted a Public Toilet Policy, which stated that public toilets would be located across Wyndham, including in main streets and activity centres,” the spokesperson said.
“They will also be provided at key public and open space destinations.”
