Yesterday the Central Otago District Council announced on social media the new public toilets in Tarras, just outside the school’s gate, were open for business.
The project, jointly funded by the council and the Government, was spurred on by the pupils of the school.
For years, the school had problems with passing tourists trespassing and relieving themselves on its grounds.
In that time the children wrote letters to Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan, his predecessor, Tony Lepper, and Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean demanding action.
School board of trustees chairman Gordy Watson said it was the children who deserved the credit for the project’s completion.
"Our philosophy at the school is that our kids can do anything in the world. Now they can just look out at the front gate and know that they started something and finished it."
While adults often "squabbled", the children pushed for change and got it, he said.
Temporary solutions from the council have included opening the Tarras Hall toilets for tourist use in the summer of 2015-16 and the portaloo that now sits at the school’s gate.
"It’s a really good thing. The kids are keen to get rid of those portaloos," Mr Watson said.
The children were away enjoying a ski trip yesterday.
Central Otago District Council property and facilities manager Mike Kerr said there was still work to be done, including landscaping around the treatment plant and toilet and sealing in front.
"The landscape works will be a joint project with the school in the spring. Then there will be an official opening ceremony."
The facility contains two standard unisex toilet cubicles and one "accessible" cubicle, and has an image of Shrek the sheep branded on the side.
