FREMANTLE council’s new $1.3 million change room at Leighton Beach has just one urinal for men.

Architects have also placed the wash basin directly beside the urinal, which local blogger Roel Loopers says is a little bit cosy — and he hails from the liberal mecca of Holland.

“It was straight out of a scene from Utopia, which satirises bureaucracy and government infrastructure,” Mr Loopers says.

“To have only one urinal for a flagship facility is ridiculous, and to put a wash hand basin right beside it is even worse — although it does means I can do a piss and wash my hands at the same time.

“Who says men can’t multi-task?”

• Fremantle blogger Roel Loopers multi-tasks at the new toilets at Leighton Beach. Photo by Stephen Pollock

Fremantle council assets manager Samuel Bryce says they weren’t anticipating busting punters pushing in while the last user was still washing their hands.

“The hand basin is for use in association with the urinal so it was not considered necessary to have a privacy screen,” he says.

“The maintenance of sanitary fixtures is a high-cost item in terms of water use, cleaning, and repair so a decision was made to have two male and two female toilets in addition to two unisex/family bathrooms.”

The new public facilities, opened this month, include fully-accessible toilets, family changerooms, waterwise showers and taps, LED lighting, bicycle racks, footpaths and ramp access to the beach.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK