By Jeremy Sollars
The Southern Downs Regional Council is still waiting on a clearance from the State Government’s Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to demolish the public toilets behind the Warwick Town Hall.
As reported in the Free Times last month, councillors at their May meeting in Stanthorpe were split over the proposal to demolish the masonry toilet block, which the council says is unsafe and an eyesore.
The council originally stated the toilets were not covered by the Town Hall’s State Heritage ‘overlay’ but later received advice from the department that their demolition would need state approval.
Many in the community have voiced their disapproval of the proposed demolition, pointing out the toilets are well-used, including by visitors to the Rose City.
And even though at face value it’s a brick dunny block, the toilets’ heritage significance have also been highlighted.
The Town Hall toilets are adjacent to Dornbusch Lane, which provides access from the Town Hall car park through to Palmerin Street.
The lane is named in honour of Conrad Dornbusch, one half of the architectural firm Dornbusch and Connolly, who as well as the toilets designed some of Warwick’s other fine buildings and landmarks, including St Mary’s Catholic Church, the Warwick General Cemetery, the Criterion Hotel and some notable homes in town, including ‘Avalon’ on Glengallan Road, the Dornbusch family home in the late 1800s.
Dornbusch and Connolly also designed and built the Johnsons Buildings on Palmerin Street, with Dornbusch Lane alongside them.
Palmerin Street business owners who have spoken to the Free Times in recent days are adamant the toilets need to stay right where they are.
Several have cited the numbers of out-of-town visitors – particularly of a weekend – who meander the main street and avail themselves of the toilets, and with the upcoming advent of Sunday trading they are likely to be used even more.
“It’s unbelievable the number of people who use them,” said one business operator.
“We have people who come from Toowoomba and other places to shop here and particularly with the ladies, one of the first questions they ask is, ‘Where are the nearest toilets?’
“Also when there is a concert or a show on at the Town Hall the toilets are used a lot.”
At the May meeting in the absence of Deputy Mayor Jo McNally, who was on annual leave, Mayor Tracy Dobie used her casting vote to break a four-all deadlock between the councillors over the demolition.
Councillors Sheryl Windle, Marika McNichol, Neil Meiklejohn and Vic Pennisi all voted against demolishing the toilets.
In the pro-demolition camp were Councillors Rod Kelly, Yve Stocks, Cameron Gow and Mayor Dobie herself, making it four-all.
In using her casting vote to break the deadlock and voting for their demolition, Mayor Tracy Dobie described the toilets as an “eyesore” and unsafe.
If successful in getting rid of the toilets, the council plans to create three new parking spaces for RV campervans.
Nearly 40 submissions were received from the public during a council consultation exercise, with the majority in favour of the toilets remaining in place.
One local resident even offered to paint the toilets for the council at his own expense.
