Falls park toilets availability "not good enough" as councillors call for report into situation

A Belfast councillor has said it is “not good enough” that Falls Park is without a functioning public toilet.

Elected representatives at the most recent meeting of the council's People and Communities Committee at City agreed to commission an officer report looking into accessibility of toilets at Falls Park.

Sinn Féin Councillor Micheal Donnelly said: “We have talked about the negatives in Falls Park, the antisocial (aspect), but 99 percent of what goes on in Falls Park is great.

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“But one of the problems we have encountered is that the amount of footfall, elderly people, couples, children, families who are using it find there are no toilets to avail of, particularly on a Sunday.

“Unless you are at the top end of the park, and if it is after 10 o'clock, you can use Whiterock Leisure Centre, but if you are at the bottom of the park the nearest toilets would be the Kennedy Centre, depending on what time it is.

“I just don’t think that is good enough, so we need a report to come, looking at how the toilets at the bowling pavilion can be made as accessible as possible. Obviously there would be cost implications for staff, because the bowling pavilion doesn’t open on a Sunday unless it is booked.”

DUP Councillor Nicola Verner said she would be “happy to support it if Woodvale was included as well.” DUP Councillor Tracy Kelly also asked if Shaw’s Bridge could be included in a toilet report. She said: “It is obviously used by thousands in the summer, and there is nowhere to go to the loo. It is shocking.”

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