Toilets a tight squeeze
Croquet players are crossing their legs in dread that a larger-than-average tournament team member will get stuck in their loos.
Palmerston North Rose City Croquet Club president Margaret Snelling said the toilet cubicles at the Manawaroa Park pavilion were just too small.
‘‘The door opens inwards, and if you are plump, it is very hard to open to get out again.
‘‘And for cricketers all clobbered up, it must be very difficult.’’
Club members Vince Neall and Mike Hardman took their frustration to the Palmerston North City Council sport and recreation committee.
They were embarrassed national and international teams coming in January to compete to qualify for the world championships in Wellington would take away a poor impression of the city, based on the loos.
Neall said the cubicles must have been designed for very small people, leaving most adults to struggle.
There was a single full-sized women’s toilet, and a men’s toilet with a bowl and urinal, but those facilities could not cope when 40 or more players all took a break at the same time and went through to the changing room loos.
Snelling said the croquet players were not just thinking about their own comfort.
The toilets were used by bolivia and mahjong players, the Palmerston North Joggers and Walkers, cricketers and hockey players.
She said some cricketers avoided them and went outdoors, often within view of the croquet lawn.
An additional problem was that some younger players, who could fit in easily, did not know how to flush the loos.
‘‘They are used to pushing a button. Let’s just say, the mechanisms are older than the kids trying to use them.’’
The club members said they had made several attempts to alert the council to the problems, but property manager John Brenkley said he did not know about the complaints.
He and sport and recreation committee chairwoman Leonie Hapeta later said they would take action, but not in time for hosting the qualifying competitions in January.
Next summer was more likely. Hapeta said the facilities would be inspected, recommendations made and a programme and budget would be set up for work.
She said the council owned several ageing toilet facilities that needed to be renewed, and it was important it carried out an audit to ensure there were adequate toilets across the city.
Brenkley said improvements at Manawaroa Park would trigger the need for a resource consent, and Building Act requirements to check that other aspects of the pavilion were up to standard.