Forum Topic

Asset Stripping

The police I hear closed the toilets on Dean Gardens because of unspecified antisocial behaviour. The Council have now removed them.There is a scheme whereby private businesses make their facilities available to the public in lieu (excuse pun) of public conveniences.Hanwell, always rather trendy, I understand has this facility. Not so in West Ealing. To bridge the gap I wonder if the police may wish to open their facilities in Ealing to compensate for closing "ours" rather inconveniently in West Ealing??? No gain without pain. Oh and no public meeting. Many drivers jump the lights at the Lido Junction so are the police going to turn them off to prevent that happening? Close the banks to prevent fraud? Anyone with any more ideas?Please don't tell me that the "fountain" at the centre of the cornerfeature in Dean Gardens has not been connected to a water supply and the closure of the toilets was done to encourage people to fill it in a more intimate and personal way. I'm busting to know what you think.

Arthur Breens ● 5934d12 Comments

No win situation here. No loos invite scum to pee in the street but cottaging and drug dealing go on if they are provided...........what to do eh?

Penny Crocker ● 5934d

Some people urinate in the street even with public toilets.

J Smith ● 5934d

and some cottage and deal without them too.

Penny Crocker ● 5934d

In the past it was the council which closed public toilets. They did not demolish them. e.g. Cleveland Park, Horsenden Hill. The councilors did not debate the real reason for closure. It was not financial.

Graham Weeks ● 5934d

My son has been known to wee in Dean Gardens - will you let him off as he is only 3 and a half?

Diane Gill ● 5933d

I am old enough to remember public conveniences having an attendant-cleaner, now we prefer to hand out dole money.

Chris Bell ● 5933d

At 3 I think it's cute ! At 33 it isn't ! I went to East Germany in 1976. The public toilets were totally disgusting and the reason I was given was that the population was so highly educated that no-one wanted to be a janitor. Do you think that's our problem? tee hee ! Seriously, being a lavatory attendant in a lonely public loo in a park would be very dangerous. Not surprised that no attempt is made to hire anyone. I wouldn't do it

Penny Crocker ● 5933d

It might be more sensible to hire park managers who are based in each of our parks. That person could have monitored the problem with the Dean Gardens toilets which would probably have lead to the toilets surviving. Such a person could have supervised the toilets in Walpole Park  so that these facilities might now be open throughout the year.In order to pay for this we could shave £500,000 each year off the Regeneration Team salary budget. As well as this the £200,000(?) spent on boulders, pretty bricks and new brick walls could have been spent on paying a manager to supervise the play area, the would-be problem drinkers, and the toilets - and to liaise with the park rangers and contractors for park maintenance and plantings.

Eric Alan Leach ● 5933d

Strange that no facilities have been arranged for access to toilets in West Ealing outlets. The Council pay for this arrangement. Why did Council officers fail, if they did tomake arrangements, when in downmarket Hanwell High St they did not?There is no statutory duty to provide toilets and so those in a hurry just have to suffer, especially some older people. I think that is wrong.

George Knox ● 5933d

If I remember correctly all those years ago! there are very few toilets in shops that are accessible and are open all hours. With child in buggy it was only Mothecare during the day. Otherwise you had to use the fast food outlets.I cant see how this would work.How about a "resident of Ealing" swipe card to access loos in the parks and money for every one else!

Roz Crosby ● 5933d

You had to pay for the loos for the Dean Gardens, which were not worth 10p! There are loos at Waitrose, Sainsbury and McDonalds.

Susan Kelly ● 5932d

Waitrose and Sainsburys are a walk away and McDonalds closed over a year ago. Maybe you meant BurgerKing (so much for the £millions both companies spend on advertising).Back to Arthur's original point, I agree with him that the work being done in Dean Gardens represents on balance a loss of assets. The area of green space has been reduced. The removal of the poorly managed toilets is also a loss of assets. There may be future improvements to the playground, but progress is so slow on this site that I may not live long enough to see these improvements.

Eric Alan Leach ● 5929d