Lynne Featherstone

Alexandra Ward councillor Wayne Hoban has slammed Alexandra Palace Park’s Charitable Trust for failing to maintain the toilets to a satisfactory or acceptable standard following a visit to the Park over the weekend.

When he visited the toilets, sited by the boating pond, he found large quantities of graffiti and evidence that the facility had not been satisfactorily cleaned for some time, with filthy toilets and sinks. One of the sinks was also hanging from the wall. To make matters worse, a note pinned to the male and female toilet doors stated that ‘misuse of the toilets would result in closure’.

Cllr Hoban has asked the Park Manager to explain why the toilets have been allowed to deteriorate to their current condition and why baby-changing facilities have not been provided.

Cllr Hoban comments:

“It is clearly unacceptable, particularly now that the toilet block which used to be sited by the children’s playground has been demolished, that these toilets cannot be maintained to a satisfactory level.

“The toilets are obviously not cleaned or maintained on a regular basis. It is also unsatisfactory that no baby-changing facilities have been provided. The park is used by many families and children using the nearby children’s playground and skatepark.

“Most organisations ensure that a maintenance rota is displayed in their toilets, indicating when they were last cleaned. This system should be adopted in Alexandra Park to ensure that visitors are assured of decent toilet facilities when they need them. Threatening to close the toilets if misused is not the answer.”