Yesterday I wrote about a cycling and walking project. Today it's Toilets and
Benches.
The toilet idea has come from the Bedminster Older Peoples Forum. They note
national research that shows that many older people are very nervous about
leaving their home because they might get caught short with no available
toilet. And not just older people. Often, this 'disability' is private and
hidden and, therefore, easily ignored. Nevertheless, each year many people
become virtual prisoners in their own home. This can also be an issue for
families with small kids and pregnant women.
The OP Forum's idea is to publish a map (probably BS3) and on it show toilets.
There are (I think) only two official public toilets in the area, but many
pubs, community centres and large shops have toilets. We want to track these
down and put them on the map with opening hours etc. Of course, we will need
the permission of the toilet 'owner', so we'll need to do some research, call
in a few favours etc.
As well as toilets, we thought the map could include places where folk can sit
down and rest on the way back from the shops and also post boxes, public
telephones, 'key' buildings like libraries and other things.
The LinkAge Project and Southville CDA have already agreed to work with the OP
Fourm on this project and we have a little research group wandering the streets
looking for post boxes etc.
By the way, you may have noticed the two new benches in North Street (opposite
the Hen and Chicken). They are the most recent of five street benches
installed by Southville CDA over the last few years. The others are on Dean
Lane, Stackpool Road and North Street near the Raleigh Road junction. We are
now looking for sites for two more. Any ideas?
Apart from the things mentioned above, what other information should we include
on our map that would be useful to people in general, but older people in
particular?
All ideas welcomed, as well as any folk who would like to help out on the
project by 'spotting' in their neighbourhood.
Cheers, Ben.