A LACK of urinals in planned unisex public toilets prompted an Albury councillor to call for more community feedback.
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Darren Cameron told Monday night's council meeting that he was concerned that new gender-neutral toilets would not include urinals.
He believed the public would share his position and sought another three months of consultation on the ten-year master plan for toilets across Albury.
Cr Cameron said he did not have an issue with unisex toilets but had a "real problem" with urinals not being included.
"I think our vision should be fine-tuned on this to include urinals in at least 50 per cent of the new unisex toilets as a rule of thumb," he said.
"I think we need to do more elaborate and more wide-reaching public and community consultation on this issue.
"It's a subject that can lend itself to levity but it is actually quite important for the elderly, particularly elderly males who don't want to be visiting the toilet for the full use of the facility but rather simply to relieve themselves.
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"It will reduce both the potential for untidiness and mess, for want of a better word, and greatly increase the convenience and the utility of our facilities....if urinals are kept."
Councillor John Stuchbery supported Cr Cameron, saying there was no need to rush into adopting the plan and suggested cost was driving the move to non-gender toilets.
"I do wonder if the reason we are putting in unisex toilets is for economic reasons rather than social progressive reasons, perhaps you can have less toilets therefore they're cheaper," he said.
However, councillor Graham Docksey rejected Cr Cameron's stand and suggested grotty male toilet users were inevitable.
"It makes little difference when men are filthy, whether it is a toilet or a urinal they will still make a mess," he said.
Cr Docksey supported other councillors who argued designs for unisex toilets with urinals could be included in the toilet plan without needing to have further consultation.
His position was supported with Cr Cameron's alteration voted down and the 10-year plan adopted.
Deputy mayor Amanda Cohn said she strongly supported gender-neutral toilets on three grounds.
Those reasons were: they allowed parents and children and those with disabilities to access a cubicle together; offered inclusiveness for transgender and non-binary citizens; aided women's safety.
Cr Cohn pointed to feedback from overseas cities to reinforce her last point.
"The single-toilet that includes the sink et cetera within the cubicle would open directly onto a public place with high visibility, such as at parks, that's actually safer than having the old-fashioned set-up with potentially a narrow corner that goes around and isn't visible," Cr Cohn said.
"If hygiene is a concern then it really is incumbent on us to increase maintenance to an appropriate level that would be acceptable to the community."
