Calderdale Council is extending the opening of some of its public toilets to seven days a week, in time for the bank holiday weekend.
Since public toilets across Calderdale were closed for safety reasons during the first lockdown in 2020, the Council has been gradually reopening the facilities in line with national guidelines and the safest local approach.
The Council reopened public toilets in all the borough’s towns in July 2020, followed by a further five toilet blocks in parks in April 2021.
Now, to meet increased demand, the Council has put additional resources in place to safely extend the opening of some public toilets to include additional days, as follows:
- Albion Street, Halifax: Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm
- Brook Street, Todmorden: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
- Calder Holmes Park, Hebden Bridge: Monday to Sunday, 10.30am to 4pm
- Centre Vale Park, Todmorden: Monday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
- Manor Heath Park, Halifax: Monday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
- New Road, Hebden Bridge: Monday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm
- People’s Park, Halifax: Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm
- Savile Park, Halifax: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm
- Thornton Square, Brighouse: Monday (excluding bank holidays) to Saturday, 10am to 4pm
- Town Hall Square, Elland: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm
- Wharf Street, Sowerby Bridge: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm
Cllr Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, said:
“As people start to get out and about more in Calderdale, we want to support them to enjoy themselves and to stay as safe as possible.
“We’re increasing the number of days that some of our public toilets are available, and many will now be open over the bank holiday weekend.
“As COVID-19 is still in our communities, our teams are working extremely hard to keep the facilities clean and to help reduce the spread of the virus. Please support their efforts and protect yourself and others by following COVID-safety advice at all times.”
All the public toilets are self-contained, individually accessed unisex facilities, helping to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. Additional cleaning and frequent disinfecting are taking place in all toilet blocks. People are asked to help maintain hygiene standards between cleans by following the advice in the increased signage in all facilities.
As always, the most effective ways to maintain good hygiene are to wash your hands(external link) with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face and follow the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it(external link)’ guidance. Public toilets are checked regularly to ensure that soap is always available.
We should all continue to follow the ‘five big things’ to help protect ourselves and others from COVID-19:
- Keep our distance and limit mixing with people we don’t live with.
- Wear a face covering where necessary, unless medically exempt.
- Self-isolate if we test positive or are a contact of someone who has tested positive.
- Meet others outside where possible, and if not then let the fresh air in.
- Book our vaccine when we are invited by the NHS.
Unfortunately, it has not been possible to make a small number of toilet blocks COVID-secure, so these remain temporarily closed for safety reasons and the Council is exploring options and funding to remodel them where possible.
As part of the Future Council Programme, a small number of more remote and / or less used toilet facilities will not reopen under Council management. Instead, they will be made available to other organisations / groups, potentially for them to manage as additional provision. Keep an eye out for more information on this opportunity.
ENDS