Press Release
For immediate release
10 August 2007

Who has best loo? KNZB busting to find out

It’s not quite toilet brushes at fifty paces but local bodies and citizens around New Zealand are squaring up again this year for the Best Loo Competition. It’s one of the many projects the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Society runs to give a lead to its aims of cleaning the country up.

Entries close in 3 weeks on 1 September.

“It’s one of those routine things that no‐one thinks about until they need them. And oh, what joy, when the need arises, to find you’re in a town where its citizens care,” says Barry Lucinsky, KNZB’s General Manager.

The Best Loo competition may be about just a plain old public loo but Barry Lucinsky says it speaks loudly about the town and its level of public spirit, especially to both local and foreign tourists.

“Some of these loos are pristine and quite arty. The other extreme is a dirty, drafty place covered in graffiti in a barren backstreet. Yes it seems small in the scope of a whole district plan but guess what people who use your town’s facilities will think of your town if they happen to strike one like that?” Participants have 3 weeks left to enter – and anyone from any town can recommend a loo that they think stands a chance of impressing the judges.

“We want a 300 word write‐up,” Mr Lucinsky says, “a few photos and some details about the building."

Other requirements include:

1. Location of town/city
2. Décor (inside and outside)
3. How often are they serviced?
a. By fulltime attendant
b. Morning only
c. More than twice a day.

4. Hours open.

a. 24 hours
b. Business hours only
c. 5 days per week
d. 7 days per week

5. What hand drying system are your washrooms using?
Judges scan the entries for a comprehensive loo that includes cleanliness, visual appearance, public safety issues, supplies and a mothers’ room.

In recent years, provincial towns have presented the best loos in New Zealand. Raglan, Rotorua, New Plymouth and Kawakawa have each won awards.

ENDS

www.knzb.org.nz

© Scoop Media