Background to the project

Providing safe, accessible and inclusive public toilets is critical to supporting community participation in the City of Moonee Valley. Public toilets are in demand and requests for additional toilets are increasing. Having access to toilet facilities can have a significant influence on an individuals’ ability to participate in their local community.

In 2023, Council consulted with the wider community about their thoughts on public toilets in the municipality. The consultation aimed to understand what was important for the community when it came to public toilets in the area, and community members could also pin locations on a map to show areas where they would like to see more public toilets.

Following this consultation, a Public Toilet Strategy was developed and endorsed by Council in August 2024.

Implementation works

As part of the implementation of the Public Toilet Strategy, Council are planning for the installation of a new toilet at Queens Park East (Moonee Ponds) and upgrading of the existing toilets located at Canning Street (Avondale Heights) and Etzel Street Reserve (Airport West).

These sites have been selected as they are in need of renewal, do not meet current accessibility standards or are in locations which have been identified as a public toilet gap in the Public Toilet Strategy.

After considering the findings of community consultation, Council undertook feasibility studies for new or upgraded toilets at Canning Street, Queens Park East and Etzel Street. The final locations for Canning Street and Queens Park East toilets, and renders of what the final designs will look like, can be seen in this news update.

Etzel Street Reserve toilet

Council previously undertook community engagement about the location of a proposed Etzel Street Reserve toilet in 2025.

That consultation and site investigations (including assessment of underground services) indicated the toilet locations previously proposed were no longer feasible due to clashes with underground services.

With that in mind, Council undertook another round of community consultation in May, with three new potential locations. These options better responded to site constraints, accessibility requirements, safety considerations and potential impacts on the reserve amenity.

Community could provide feedback by completing an online survey, leaving us a voice message via a Speak Pipe tool or emailing, phoning or mailing Council.

Community feedback was considered alongside other site-specific factors and operational requirements to inform the selection of the final toilet location. Based on the community feedback, constructability, and ability to integrate the building into the landscape, Option 3 will be progressed to the next stage of design development and then construction.

The full consultation report can be found here.