South Beach change rooms schematic design approved

The schematic design for new change rooms and toilet facilities at Fremantle’s popular South Beach has received in principle approval from Fremantle Council.

The new facilities will include new male and female changing rooms and toilets, two universal access/family rooms, storage for beach wheelchairs and a new Changing Places facility.

The council has also requested the Chief Executive Officer establish a reference group consisting of elected members, staff and targeted stakeholders to inform the detailed design, in particular the internal layout, to ensure it meets the needs of users.

Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said it was good to be moving forward on this much-needed community facility.

“The old change rooms at South Beach were well past their prime and becoming unsafe, and we know the temporary facilities we have in place at the moment are not ideal, so it’s important to move ahead with these new facilities,” Mayor Fitzhardinge said.

“There’s already been a lot of community consultation on how the new facilities should fit within the broader area at South Beach.

“We now look forward to working with interested stakeholders to further refine the concept during the detailed design stage.

“We’ve also heard community desire for facilities at the South Beach dog beach, and we will consider this as part of our long-term financial plan.”

Items to be considered during the detailed design process include refining the configuration of the change rooms to increase space and exploring the practicality of re-establishing the open-air feature of the change rooms.

The location of the wheelchair storage and Changing Places facility will also be further explored.

The Changing Places facility has been included in the project through the support of a $150,000 state government grant.

Changing Places are secure and private facilities for people with disability who need extra space and assistance to use the bathroom.

They include features like an adult-sized height adjustable change table, hoist, shower, automatic doors and enough room for two people to assist.

It will be the City of Fremantle’s second Changing Places facility, with the first opening in Walyalup Koort earlier this year.