Athlone's first 'changing places' accessible toilet about to open

The first 'changing places' accessible toilet installed by Westmeath County Council is due to open in Athlone within the next week.

The facility, which offers more space and a specialised design for people with additional needs, is located on the lower ground floor level of Athlone Civic Centre.

In an update on the project on Monday, Willie Ryan, acting manager of the Athlone Moate Municipal District, said the construction of the facility had been fully completed and it would be "operational within one week" for users.

Last year, a contractor was appointed by Westmeath County Council to carry out the required adaptation and installation works.

Items that were to be fitted in the changing places facility included an adjustable height changing bench, adjustable wash basins, a hoist system, a wall-mounted privacy screen and a colostomy shelf.

The need for a changing places toilet in Athlone had been highlighted on a number of occasions at local authority level by Cllr Frankie Keena.

At this week's meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District, Cllr Keena asked about the delay in allowing people with disabilities access to the new facility.

"While they are waiting to get this access, parents have no other option but to change their loved ones on the floors of public toilets," he stated.

Mr Ryan replied that, while the construction work was completed, some issues around the operational and access arrangements for the facility still had to be worked out.

"I understand it was intended that the users from the local area might like to be card holders, to get in and out of the facility unimpeded. (Putting that in place) is going to take time," he said.

"That doesn't mean that, in the next week or thereabouts, we won't be ready to accommodate anybody that needs to use it.

"In the first instance, those people may need to report to the customer service desks, but over a short enough period of time we hope that, administratively, we might be able to get interest from people who can become card holders."

Cllr Frankie Keena thanked Mr Ryan for the response, pointing out that the new facility was "fantastic" and was the first of its kind to be developed by the council in Westmeath.

A second 'changing places' toilet in Athlone is due to be introduced as part of planned works at Athlone Railway Station.