By Rowan Forster
Cardinia Shire has weighed in on the eight-year dunny funding spat with Pakenham Rotary, claiming the non-for-profit group had previously offered to pay for a new toilet at Rotary Park.
It comes after members of the Rotary board fired shots at council – accusing it of neglecting the project and failing to support the cherished community group.
While the council estimates that the long-awaited toilet will be installed within the next two years, it has no answers for how the facility will be funded.
At present, Rotary Park is used by hundreds of joggers, families, dog walkers and cyclists every week; but it has no public toilet.
The nearest restroom is kilometres away, beside Coles Village in Lakeside.
Cardinia Shire’s acting general manager of community wellbeing Kristen Jackson said council had previously reached an agreement with Rotary.
“For the past few months, Cardinia Shire Council has been working closely with members of Rotary on several of the projects they are looking to carry out at Rotary Park in Pakenham, including a playground, tree planting, new seating along the walking trail and a new toilet facility,” she said.
“Throughout these discussions, Rotary and council have been in agreement that Rotary members would pay for the improvements, on their suggestion, and Council could support by paying for the connections for the proposed toilet facility and carrying out the ongoing maintenance of the public toilets once installed.”
