The possible closure of a restroom facility serving Invercargill’s homeless has evoked concern from a resident who says the offering is a taonga.

June Trotter presented to Invercargill city councillors on Monday, asking for the inner-city site to be updated and remain open.

“The supervising staff at Wachner Place Restroom are fantastic, welcoming to all who use the facility,” she said.

“They have developed respectful relationships with people in our homeless community and the wider community.”

The facility has faced a precarious future since May 2025 when councillors voted to close it on the proviso a new location was explored.

But earlier this month, an opportunity to create a replacement at a nearby Exeloo site hit a speed bump after elected members raised accessibility concerns.

Trotter questioned if that Exeloo site — located 50 metres away, next to the library — would be used by the public given its high visibility.

A proposed Exeloo extension has been mooted as a replacement for the restroom, 50 metres away. Credit: Matthew Rosenberg/LDR.

She called on the existing facility to be updated, and noted its role in accommodating bus passengers travelling as far afield as Christchurch.

“Travellers often judge a place by their toilets, or lack of them. We need public toilets that can cater for a full bus load of passengers.”

Calling the facility a “taonga”, she asked that it be respected, cared for and kept open until at least the end of summer.

Mayor Tom Campbell said the Wachner Place restroom was a place of gathering and fellowship, and provided assurance it would remain open if an alternative could not be found.

“It does serve more of a purpose than just a shower and a toilet,” he said.

The Wachner Place facility opened in 1988 and costs about $194,000 a year to operate and maintain, according to a December 2025 figure from council.

It will continue to operate under reduced hours until June 2027 while the council investigates its options.

On 7 July, elected members highlighted the importance of accessibility in a replacement and requested further information on the possible $25,000 Exeloo extension next to the library.

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