Visitors to the Waipa mountain bike carpark can enjoy the use of a new $495,000 toilet complex after it was opened yesterday.
The new complex for mountain bikers and other recreational forest users features 12 unisex toilets, four showers, changing room space and provision for disabled users.
Development of the facilities followed a successful joint bid by the Rotorua District Council and the Home of Cycling Trust for the National Mountain Biking Centre of Excellence to be based in Rotorua.
The design includes a mountain bike track over the top of the toilet block leading mountain bikers into the forest's trails, and a pathway through the centre of the complex.
The new bike track over the building's roof has been named "Gotta Go", a name chosen from 150 suggestions via a social media campaign.
Te Arawa kaumatua the Reverend Bob Schuster and Piripi Mutu helped bless the new facility before deputy mayor Dave Donaldson got on his bike and rode through a makeshift tape to mark the opening.
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said unfortunately they couldn't get the Duke and Duchess to open the best loo in the North Island.
"It's funny to be opening a toilet, but she's majestic, a beautiful toilet block."
Mrs Chadwick said there was much more to come for Rotorua's mountain biking fraternity as the city cements its place as the mountain biking capital of New Zealand.
She also thanked the previous council for making the money available for the project.
"This was put into the long-term plan for 2019, so I'm very pleased it's been completed five years ahead of schedule."