Coledale's Youthie set to get public toilets after Centenary Park rezoning

The 3000-resident suburb has only a single set of public toilets, which are often locked, or non-functional.

Long-time youth advocate and council candidate Marc Sutherland said Tamworth Regional Council had rezoned the park and committed to providing the service once the money was available.

He said workers at the Tamworth Regional Youth Centre - the Youthie - had long aspired to use Centenary Park for a variety of community events, including everything from jumping castles to music concerts.

READ MORE:

But without public toilets, it wasn't possible.

"With the toilet being built, with the park being rezoned, the potential is to be able to hold those community activities and regional events next to the regional Youth Centre," Mr Sutherland said.

"Having toilets set up there will allow for community to be able to plan and hold events of a larger scale because the infrastructure will be there to support it."

A refurbishment of the park, completed in 2019, added a new playground, a basketball court, and an improved sports field - but not public toilets.

Want more local news? Subscribe to the Leader to read it here first

Gomeroi Cultural Academy mentor Bareki Knox said the community had been asking for toilets for the park for about six years.

Locals have enormous pride in the place and want to use it more, he said.

"There are kids that come here and find that they have that sense of responsibility in the building, and the park, as well," he said.

"There were as many as 80 kids in the park last week. They were all playing footy, and all playing basketball. So there's a good responsibility of looking after the place."

Mr Sutherland said the decision was a "step in the right direction" and a symbol of the kind of listening and advocacy he wanted to bring to the Tamworth council.

"Without investment there can't be change," he said.

"In communities where we know that there are, the only way to push through that struggle is by supporting community and investing in community.

"And that's why this project and the rezoning of this park is so monumental to the community but also to youth programs and youth service delivery across the region."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: