Crane helps lift new toilet block on to site at Parakao near Whangarei

Northpower linesman Joel Freeman records the tricky movements past the power lines. Photo/Tania Whyte

It's out with the old and in with the new for the public toilet block at Parakao.

It wasn't so swift though, with a delicate lift via hiab crane required to manoeuvre the new toilet block between the Parakao Hall and overhead lines on to the site on Wednesday.

Whangārei District Council waste and drainage field officer Grant Alsop said Northpower had turned off the overhead lines, and had a linesman on site while the lift was carried out.

The new toilet block at Parakao, 40km west of Whangārei, has replaced the old concrete toilet block which was built in the 1950s or 60s.

"We've turned this one around to face the carpark, the old one used to face towards the hall."

He said the block was made operational in time for a car event this weekend.

The construction of a concrete pad out the front and other landscaping will be done in coming weeks.

A graphic will go on the outside of the block on February 14.

Alsop said because the area has been a big logging area, the graphic around the building will be made up of old photos from the area of old trucks, loggers and logs.

"That toilet there is really well utilised by the logging trucks because there's a big layby right there [nearby]."

He said the local community were thankful for their new toilet block.

The replacement was initially planned for the 2020/21 financial year but was brought forward to this year because the old block was no longer structurally sound and didn't meet disability access requirements.

It was one of a handful of projects brought forward in October last year to counteract delays in budget spending on other Whangārei District Council projects.

A total of $150,000 was allocated for the replacement project.

The new toilet block has two cubicles and is disability accessible.