Williamstown’s lifesavers are raising their hands for help from Hobsons Bay council to fix the clubroom’s “embarrassing” toilets and change rooms.
Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club members say they are ashamed of their facilities when hosting major events and can’t let guests use the bathrooms.
President Matt McCarroll said the toilets and change rooms had not been upgraded since the building was constructed in 1935.
The council owns the building.
Mr McCarroll said portable toilets had to be hired to cater for thousands of visitors to the club during major events.
“We ran the Victorian Open Water Championships and our own public swims just before Christmas, and we had over 900 swimmers at that event in our first year,” he said.
“But we were ashamed to bring anyone onto our property because of the state of our toilets and bathrooms.
“We have a membership of about 1200, we have 300 Nippers and we have schools programs – hundreds of kids come through for their beach education programs over summer – but we just can’t have people in those toilets.
“We’ve had a health and safety inspection: they’re unsafe, they’re unsanitary and they’re a risk to anyone who uses them.
“Kids shouldn’t be showering with adults in open showers. They should be closed showers and it should be up to code and specification of a council building.”
Mr McCarroll said terms of the lease stated the club had to maintain the property, but with the age of the building it had become very difficult. The club is asking for any modest contribution from the council towards the estimated $120,000 cost of upgrading the facilities.. The council will consider all budget submissions at its meeting next week.
