Online campaign seeks $20,000 for roadside loos

Barbara Clark, working hard to create a park complete with a public toilet.

The urgent need for a comfort stop between Whangarei and Kawakawa has led to an online drive to raise money for a dunny.

Once the funds are in, a more solid facility will be installed than the three previous toilets that have graced the wedge-shaped reserve on the corner of Callaghan Rd and State Highway1.

None of those withstood the forces of nature - human or otherwise. One blew over and fell apart, one was vandalised beyond repair and the third was stolen.

Once $20,000 is raised, the new toilets will be a permanent structure, says Barbara Clark, of the Maromaku Reserves Board Park Committee.

The Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board has granted $5000 towards the cost of what will be the only roadside public facility between Whangarei and Kawakawa. But progress on "the big picture" has been stymied by the latest portaloo's disappearance: workers cannot be brought in from training or other work schemes to do the hard yards because there is no toilet there.

It means the small committee is left putting in even more spade work to restore the former dump site they are turning into a roadside park for motorists as well as locals to enjoy.

"The park is awesome," Mrs Clark said. "We struggle to keep up the maintenance but the big picture is a native park with a bush walk and trees marked with signs, a music area, tables to sit, rest and enjoy the view and, in the future, a proper disability-friendly toilet at a lovely area for children to play safely off State Highway 1."

Other grants have covered the costs of pathways and topsoil, with one from A K Franks Charitable Trust paying for plant labels and other signs.

To help go to http:// givealittle.co.nz/cause/somewheretoplayandatoilet.