Cubicle over communal: Changeroom design modern or 'altering fabric' of baths?

A floorplan released by City of Newcastle last month shows male and female amenities, a changing places facility, accessible toilet and family or gender-neutral rooms would be in the northern wing of the pavilion.

Each male and female area would have five 'combined shower and change' cubicles and three showers, as well as toilet facilities.

Friends of Newcastle Ocean Baths (FONOB) president Peter Wickham said the group was "very concerned" about the changeroom design showing a reduced shared changing area.

"There appears to be almost a 75 per cent loss of communal space," he told the Newcastle Herald.

"There is room for everybody at the moment, we can't see that in the proposed current floorplan.

"How you change a child in a cubicle, I don't know."

He said the combination of open-air changerooms being covered and the focus on private cubicles was "changing the fabric of what is the tradition of the Newcastle Ocean Baths" for more than a century.

Mr Wickham said under the stage two revitalisation plans, a small kiosk had been replaced by a larger cafe area and community space in what he described as the "over-commercialisation" of the southern wing of the pavilion.

"The reason you currently have that design is because they have decided to put all the changing amenities in the northern wing of the pavilion," Mr Wickham said.

Mr Wickham compared aspects of the plan to a refurbishment at Nobbys six years ago which sparked outrage in the community when changerooms were removed and people were encouraged to change in extra-wide toilet cubicles.

He said FONOB would be writing to City of Newcastle to again express concerns with the current proposed floorplan. He encouraged community members to give feedback on council's Have Your Say website.

It comes as the comment period enters its final month, with feedback closing on August 5 after opening on June 18, 2024.

City of Newcastle said the location of the amenities was workshopped with the public, the project's Community Reference Group, and off expert advice.

A City of Newcastle spokesperson pointed the Herald to an earlier response after the concept plans were released, which addressed the design of the changerooms.

"City of Newcastle understands some members of the community value the existing open air changerooms, however, based on specialist Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design advice, the existing layout, which includes no coverage over the changerooms, is not suitable for modern facilities," they said.

"The facility's new roof allows for natural light and ventilation, while also protecting the facility including the much-loved faade for many years to come, sheltering the structure from the harsh coastal environment."

The spokesperson said the proposed changerooms under the stage two designs were "larger in footprint" than they were previously.

"The proposed plans provide more toilets, urinals, showers and similar private change spaces across gendered facilities, but have less space allocation for open room change," they said.

The spokesperson said City of Newcastle encouraged members of the community to have a say on the concept plan for the final stage of the Newcastle Ocean Baths upgrade up until August 5.

"This will be followed by a detailed design process, which will consider feedback submitted during the consultation period," they said.

"As such, the tender for construction would not be called until late 2025 at the earliest."