Tokoroa’s million-dollar dunnies to become a pit stop for bus drivers

Wednesday, 18 February 2026

The South Waikato District Council has found a new use for two of its five former Leith Place public toilets - a kitchen and toilet for local bus drivers.

After spending more than a million dollars on its problem-plagued, architecturally-designed Leith Place toilets, the South Waikato District Council will transform them into a pit stop for bus drivers.

The Waikato Times first reported on the dodgy dunnies in July 2023, when former deputy mayor Hamish Daine said they should be bowled after a range of problems made them practically unusable.

Inadequate pipework saw them often blocked, vandalism was commonplace, they were too small for comfortable use, and were originally built without ventilation.

Tokoroa's Leith Place toilets and $4 million Leith Place redevelopment were opened to much fanfare in December 2019.

A Waikato Times official information request also found the project was $850,000 over budget before construction had even started in 2018.

The council decided to permanently close the toilets in April last year, and they were eventually replaced for an additional cost of $600,000.

The council found design faults during construction had resulted in “unsustainable levels of maintenance and repair costs”.

The Leith Place toilets were too cramped to be comfortable and were frequently vandalised.

The toilets had to be cleaned up to four times a day, and were locked at night after they were installed as part of the council’s $4 million Leith Place redevelopment, which opened to the public with much fanfare in December 2019.

According to an anonymous council spokesperson, two of the decommissioned Leith Place toilets are getting a new lease on life, and are being turned into facilities for use by Tokoroa’s local BUSIT bus drivers.

“The large one with wheelchair access will be turned into a kitchenette and another one will be a dedicated toilet for the drivers.

The new Leith Place public toilets in Tokoroa cost $600,000.

“The Tokoroa bus drivers have their rest stops in Leith Place and eat lunch in the buses and use the Leith Place toilets.

“This will give them their own area to have their lunch in, and a toilet used solely by them,” the spokesperson said.

The New Zealand Transport Agency and Waikato Regional Council will pay 75%, or $14,301, of the conversion cost with the council paying $4433.

Chairperson of the council’s Growth and Infrastructure Committee Sandra Wallace said it was “a great use of space for people that provide a crucial service in our community”.

“Expect to see some activity at the site over the next few weeks, but don't worry, the public toilet facilities will remain open and uninterrupted.

“The great thing is that council will be paying 25% of the funds for this, and NZTA will be picking up the balance.”

Work on the toilets is now underway and is expected to be completed by the middle of March.

Of the five toilet cubicles originally built, one now contains electrical components, two will be used by bus drivers, and the other two have had their pans removed and will be sealed with timber exterior cladding to cover doorways.

“South Waikato District Council is pleased that these facilities are being re-purposed, and this is a great outcome for these toilets as well as for the drivers who serve our communities and the region.

“We are also pleased that the works will be carried out by a local company - Alan Wilson Building Contractors,” the council said.

Mayor Gary Petley said he hoped this would be the final chapter in the long-running saga.

“At least finding two things we can put a positive slant on is better than it all going to waste.

“It's a real positive we can do that, and the fact that regional council and Waka Kotahi have come to the party to help fund those changes is a good ending to a shitty story.

“Our local drivers will now be able to put them to good use instead of just sitting in their buses waiting.”