“Woefully inadequate” toilet provisions at a busy Mount Maunganui sports facility have prompted debate about who should pay and how much to address the issue.

Tauranga Netball asked the Tauranga City Council for $20,000 to lease five portaloos toilets at Blake Park during the winter sports season, saying the facility’s six loos were not enough when one games night alone attracted 4000 people each week.

The club had leased additional portaloos from April to September in the last few years to cover the shortfall.

Tauranga City councillors discussed the issue, and other community funding requests, on Monday during Annual Plan deliberations.

The draft 2025/26 plan, which proposed an overall rates rise of 12%, received 968 written submissions and 70 people spoke at hearings this month.

Mayor Mahé Drysdale said $20,000 for toilets for six months seemed “expensive”.

Council community services general manager Barbara Dempsey said the price was based on what the club paid in previous years. Because there was an accessible toilet, it was more expensive.

Council spaces and places manager Alison Law said the cost also included servicing.

Drysdale asked how much it cost to buy a toilet.

Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular said she had asked a company that morning but was waiting to hear back.

Drysdale said the council had a duty to provide toilets at reserves but netball brought in a “huge number” of people and that meant more loos were needed.

Mayor Mahé Drysdale. Photo / Alisha Evans

“I’m just trying to understand whether that should be a council cost or a sport cost.”

Dempsey said historically it was the council’s responsibility to provide public toilets to support recreation facilities.

The growth of netball had outstripped the amenities, and it was up to the council whether it wanted to fund the extra toilets, she said.

Tauranga Netball’s Annual Plan submission said there were 4000 attendees at Friday night college netball and 38 teams for junior netball on Saturday.

It said the current six toilets were “woefully inadequate” and the excessive demand resulted in “unsanitary and unsafe conditions”.

Tauranga City councillor Glen Crowther. Photo / Alisha Evans

Councillor Glen Crowther said Tauranga Netball was asking because plans to move netball to Baypark had not happened, so the club was incurring unexpected costs.

“I do agree with the view that hopefully we’ll get them cheaper, that might make this a less contentious issue.”

Councillor Rick Curach said he was happy for the council to provide in-principle support for the funding, but he wanted the costs confirmed.

Drsydale wanted to see if the council could “get a deal”.

Councillor Steve Morris said the council didn’t want to flush money away.

The council agreed in principle to give Tauranga Netball the funding, with a final decision to follow.

On Tuesday, council staff provided a quote from one company for four standard portaloos and an accessible one at $42,000 for six months’ hire and servicing.

The cost of buying a standard portaloo was $1800 and servicing five loos for six months would be $3640.

The council also voted on funding requests from several other community groups on Monday.

They agreed in principle to give Mount Maunganui Cricket Club $73,300 for relocatable changing rooms at their Blake Park grounds.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand would get $16,080 to extend its paid lifeguard services at Tay St beach for three weeks over summer.

Drysdale said if one life was saved, that would be more than value-for-money for the council’s investment.

Councillors declined ARGOS Gym Sports $67,000 for new kitchen and cafe facility, and Bowls Matua would not receive $180,000 to upgrade its third green.

The Annual Plan deliberations continue until Thursday.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.