“Until a few weeks ago, the sign was still there saying it was temporarily closed. When I was there last Wednesday, the sign was gone, and the door was locked.”
Davey, 86, said she relies on a walker to get around. She said there was enough room in the closed bathroom for it to fit comfortably.
“The other [non-disabled] toilets are of no use to disabled people because the toilets are low, and when you get down, you can’t get up,” she said.
“There are no rails to help you and no proper lock on the doors.”
Davey said she had reached out to the council previously before Christmas.
“I contacted the council, and I always send the mayor a Christmas card. I hadn’t heard from anyone since.
“I put in the Christmas card ‘How long is temporary?”
There is another accessible toilet available in King St North, approximately 250 metres away. However, Davey said she struggled with the automatic time-locking system and deemed them unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
“You can’t guarantee they will ever let you out those self-service ones. I got locked in there between Christmas and New Year.”
A Hastings District Council spokesperson said council understood the public’s frustration with the time it has taken to fix the toilet.
“We apologise for the lack of a speedy response. We are aware and have been working with our insurers to resolve the issue.”
The spokesperson confirmed that the claims process had been slowed by a lack of assessors and builders.
“We are awaiting the final assessor and builder’s visit to confirm the scope and timing of works.”
Anyone struggling with accessibility issues relating to public services can contact Hastings District Council on 06 871 5000.
Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community.
