'The biggest outdoor toilet with the most amazing view'

A small band of high-profile Wairarapa protesters stalled the demolition of the Rimutaka summit's derelict toilet blocks by the Greater Wellington Regional Council yesterday.
A spokesman said the regional council backed out of yesterday morning's scheduled demolition to protect contractors from protesters and the clearing of the site would be postponed.
"The toilets and the cafe buildings were scheduled to be removed from the summit later this month. However, when the cafe burnt down last week we brought the date forward in order to tidy up the site as quickly as possible," the spokesman said.
The 12-strong lobby group was led by Carterton Mayor Gary McPhee and included Masterton and Carterton councillors as well as former NZ First MP Ron Mark, who spoke at the summit about why he opposes the demolition.
"There are a host of reasons why the regional council shouldn't be knocking over these toilets. Firstly, I understand DOC are putting in more walking tracks around the area so it stands to reason that if you're going to provide services and facilities you need to provide toilets," he said.
Mr Mark then pointed to the toilet paper and refuse-infested walking track that starts behind the toilet block.
"If you walk two minutes up that track you'll see all the evidence you need that we need toilets.
"All they've done is created the biggest outdoor toilet with the most amazing view that anyone's ever seen. And for what? Because they're too lazy to get up here and service the facility.
"This is the gateway to Wairarapa and what I see is a great opportunity for the regional council to work with private enterprise to create an attraction that tells the story of the Rimutakas & if nothing else it could tell the travelling public what lies to the north and to the south," Mr Mark said.
The site is a jurisdictional jigsaw with no less than three councils having responsibility for various parts of the summit, a situation Mr Mark said needs clearing up. "They need to tidy up the administration and leasing arrangements and give potential entrepreneurs the security of a lease."
However, Murray Kennedy, the regional council's divisional manager of parks, forests and utilities, said the summit has been plagued with problems for years.
"The site relied on a generator for electricity and the toilets were plagued with vandalism due to their isolation. The site has also seen many cafe operators over the years, some who only stayed for a short period."
Mr Kennedy said the toilets have in fact been unavailable for long periods and were closed for most of 2008. "The toilets were run by the cafe operators and relied on the cafe's electricity supply.
"The cafe was closed for extended periods of time, which happened frequently given the turnover of businesses. This meant that the toilets were closed as well.
"Fortunately we've seen improvements to the road between Upper Hutt and Featherston over the years, greatly reducing travel times. There are also adequate toilet facilities within 10 minutes of the hill on both sides," Mr Kennedy said.
He said all concerned parties were notified when the regional council's landcare committee first made the decision not to renew the cafe operator's licence and close the toilets in September 2005.
Since then the regional council has been waiting for the licence to expire and there have also been proposals for the site but problems associated with the site have proven difficult and expensive to overcome, Mr Kennedy said.
The decision to clear the site of the toilets and not renew the cafe licence was reconfirmed at a full regional council meeting in November last year.