The first campaign Snuff Mills Action Group organised called upon Bristol City Council to replace the public toilets in Snuff Mills. The Council promised they would replace the loos sometime in 2010-11. They have been busily searching for funds to do this for some time and I am delighted to be able to announce that the existing public toilets in Snuff Mills will be replaced in October 2010.The existing loos will be demolished and the area landscaped to make the entrance to Snuff Mills more welcoming. New toilets will be built in the green by the car park, as far away from River View as possible, but in such a way that they can be clearly seen from the cafe.
The new public convenience will include a single disabled toilet with baby changing facility with a key held by the cafe. The Snuff Mills toilets attract various kinds of misuse and to prevent this, the new toilets will be made up of two individual unisex toilets that can only accomodate one person at a time and a single urinal. Each toilet will have its own direct access from the car park and there will be no shared areas.
Bristol City Council are so pleased with the design for the new loos that they plan to enter it for the public lavatory of the year award. If they win, this will be a major achievement since the BBC decided the Snuff Mills toilets were the worst in whole of the country in 2002!
7 comments:
Very good idea to relocate the toilets and improve the landscape and the gateway to the valley. I'm not keen on any removal of existing trees (unless they are genuinely dead, dying or dangerous) as this could lessen the wild feel of the valley but accept the way new vistas can be created for better amenity value.
Excellent news - never thought I'd live to see the day...
If the toilets are being relocated why were several trees felled? It seems ironic to be campaigning to save trees on the south side of the river whilst others are so easily lost. When are the citizens of this city going to see some joined-up thinking from the people who affect our quality of life? It is well known throughout society that trees are crucial for all kinds of reasons and that we actually need more of them. Also, where is the evidence that the tree clearance will improve security or was this someone's subjective opinion?
The area around the toilets looks much better now and the removal of the DEAD cherry trees from the garden has vastly improved the area.Well done to ALL those who have been involved in the garden project you have worked really hard to improve the formal gardens for everyone.
The Council have only just found the money to build new toilets at Snuff Mills. The money has come from some Section 106 money that no one knew could be used for the toilets until one enterprising member of Council staff checked it out.
The trees were therefore removed at a time when everyone thought the toilets would be there for years to come. When we did a questionnaire survey of users of Snuff Mills in 2008 the top priority for improvements was the toilet area. Many users reported that they felt the toilet area was dangerous. Various reports of people lurking in and around the bushes behind the toilets led us to conclude that it would be safer for people to have a small number of trees removed. When the existing toilets are removed, the area will be landscaped and beautiful ornmental trees will be plants to make the entrance in to Snuff Mills really special.
You see we think about things very carefully before anything happens. We don't just rush in and chop down trees willy nilly. And removing them is always a last resort. This is a very different and much more thoughtful approach to what has happened in Grove Wood!
Don't get me wrong, I think the work the SMAG volunteers have done in the garden is fantastic - a vast improvement. However, I disagree the area looks better as I do not like to see tree stumps anywhere. Aesthetics aside, I would hope we are ALL agreed that any unneccessary loss of wildlife habitat is to be avoided. Hope I am allowed to express this opinion without people getting offended.
Martyn, I agree with you that the tree stumps don't look good but from what I have been told they are going to be removed when the toilet area is landscaped. Hopefully we shall see some fabulous new trees planted later in the year once the new toilet block has been built nearer the car park.
Generally though I think SMAG has vastly improved the Snuff Mills side of the valley. Who would have thought so much could be achieved in such a short time.
I would just like to add that I am very pleased that there is going to be a disabled toilet and baby changing facilities. Progress at last!
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