Toilet talk dominates

Ways to flush out anti-social behaviour at the Lake Monger Reserve facility were the focus of talks after the council rejected a proposed urban art project aimed at deterring it.

While the majority agreed the $13,500 project would not work, chief executive Jason Buckley said the Town and police were actively addressing the problem.

‘These issues have been ongoing for many years but are difficult to monitor due to the incidental and opportunist nature of the activities,’ Mr Buckley said.

He said a number of strategies including timed locks installed to assist in reducing anti-social behaviour, landscaped works around the adjacent lake at Lake Monger and a reduction in dense foliage, continue to work with the local Wembley Police and adjacent Lake Monger Primary School and Bold Park Community School.

Senior Sergeant Kate Vivian said there had been no recent reports of male prostitution but the Dodd Street toilets had been ‘well known’ to police and the site was part of targetted patrols.

‘The Town of Cambridge has been proactive in locking the toilets at 6pm, and opening them at 8am, and clearing the higher trees and bushes,’ Snr Sgt Vivian said.

Mr Buckley said the Town had considered demolishing the toilets but believed it would negatively affect legitimate users of the area.

‘The Town is about to start the planning for a Lake Monger Reserve Activity Master Plan with a key deliverable being relocating the toilet block to a more appropriate location,’ he said.