The much sought after tourist dollar may soon be shelling out for more than Southland produce.
Southland District Council is considering the prospect of user pay toilets in Mossburn and Garston as it looks to upgrade and expand its current facilities without putting extra pressure on local ratepayers.
Council's Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) 2009-19 has identified a number of potential upgrades throughout the SDC jurisdiction and is eying the upgrade of the Lion's Park toilets in Te Anau where pay-per-loos have been mooted, as a portent for future policy.
According to the LTCCP there are 70 public conveniences in the Southland District operated and maintained by council and, in addition, it provides a small amount of funding for three privately owned toilets available for public use.
An upgrade of several sites in the next ten years is on the cards, with the two most significant capital expenditures planned for Garston ($309,300 in 2010/11) and Mossburn ($317,342 in 2011/12).
The two Northern Southland towns, while not bustling metropolises, are nonetheless key stopping destinations along the tourist routes to Fiordland and Central Otago, and their facilities are frequented by thousands of tourists each year.
SDC area engineer Bruce Miller said while the toilets in these areas were well looked after, a greater demand would require changes.
"Long term some are going to have to be upgraded and that's going to be fairly costly," Mr Miller said.
"They're currently doing the job, but if we are going to carry on long term we are going to need larger facilities."
Mr Miller said in summer there could be as many as 14 buses at a time in the two towns, while Te Anau could have up to 40 buses through on a day.
The issue was and would continue to be the cost to the ratepayer and a more community-friendly initiative would likely be to charge tourists for their use, he said.
"In both towns, particularly Garston, which has a small population, locals would hardly use them, and it's very similar in Mossburn."
This was something not unfamiliar to many experienced travellers.
"I think anyone who's travelled in Europe would definitely be used to paying for [toilets]."
Council will look closely at the Lion's Park proposal and the long term effects of the recession before making a final decision, Mr Miller said.
Over the next decade upgrades are also proposed for Edendale, Ivon Wilson Park, Mores Scenic Reserve, Five Rivers, Manapouri, Riverton, Tokanui, Clifden Suspension Bridge, Wallacetown, Winton and Wyndham.
