By Casey Neill
Shoppers and traders at Doveton’s Linden Place are busting for a new loo.
Doveton Eumemmerring Township Association (DETA) started a push for the City of Casey to install a toilet at the shopping precinct late last year and will have a petition available in coming weeks.
River Gum Ward Councillor Damien Rosario said he and colleague Wayne Smith were already advocating for the new loo as part of this year’s budget process.
He said councillors would work with officers on formal bids for capital works, and the public would be able to comment on the proposed budget in May.
DETA dubbed its campaign Linden Loo Long Overdue and urged residents and traders to get involved.
The council removed a toilet “in a state of disrepair” from the area more than a decade ago.
Linden Place is a central meeting point for the community, has a major bus stop and is a connection point for specialist schools Emerson and Dandenong Valley Special School.
The nearest public toilet is in Autumn Place, 1.5 kilometres away.
Traders expressed serious concern about the number of residents asking to use their private bathrooms each day.
The toilets are not suited for public use and the practice is not allowed under council’s health and safety laws.
DETA chairperson Sean Balfour said the community was pleased that Linden Place received bench seats and an upgraded playground in recent years, but these were underutilised because there was no toilet.
DETA is an independent volunteer organisation made up of local residents, workers and community participants working to achieve positive outcomes and improvements in the Doveton and Eumemmerring community.
