Cricket officials have come out swinging over the decision to exclude stand-up urinals from a multimillion redevelopment at Perth’s WACA Ground.
The plan will leave the northern half of the ground, where most of the work is happening, with only cubicles in men’s bathrooms, unlike most sporting grounds which have communal urinals.
WA Cricket Association board member Paul Collins says he was in disbelief when he came across the design for the $150 million redevelopment and is now working to resolve it with the rest of the board.
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However Western Australian Cricket Association chief executive Christina Matthews says the move is about inclusivity and flexibility.
“We’ve looked to the future, we’ve examined what people’s needs are these days and the flexibility we can have in that redevelopment,” she told reporters on Friday.
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“We’ve decided to go with all cubicles. I want to make it clear — there’s no mixed toilets, they’re all male and female toilets.”
Men’s urinals, which experts say are smaller and cheaper, will remain on the southern side of the ground.
Matthews said cubicles were more hygienic, allowed more privacy and offered flexibility to extend facilities should there be all-female events or all-male events.
The revamped home of cricket in WA will have the potential to hold between 10,000 and 15,000 people when finished.
The new northern stand being built as part of the WACA Ground redevelopment won’t include urinals Credit: WA Cricket
Officials say this will not happen often and “supplementary toilets that will probably include urinals” can be brought in if needed.
“Our match days generally are somewhere between 500 and 2500. (There’s) more than enough (cubicles) to cater for (patrons),” Matthews said.
The cricket boss said the facilities met all building requirements and the design was “final unless the board overturns it”.
The project includes a public aquatic centre and gym and should be finished by 2025.
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