Disability advocate Bob Triming brought up the topic of the toilets again in June, 2021 after seeing that the project had not received any funding in Bathurst Regional Council's budget for the 2021-22 financial year.

His frustrations were aired in the Western Advocate, and since then council has moved to address the issue.

The toilet in question is in the foyer shared by the library and Bathurst Regional Art Gallery (BRAG).

While it met the standards when it was first built, the standards have changed and the toilet now falls short.

Mr Triming is unable to take his electric wheelchair into the bathroom, and others with similar mobility aids would be facing the same problem.

For the toilet to be accessible to everyone with a disability, he said the bathroom has to be about twice the size, have an inward opening door, and the corridor needs to be wider.

And, finally, council is listening.

Mr Triming has been liaising with council about the project and at the May ordinary council meeting, director of Cultural and Community Services, Alan Cattermole, provided a promising update.

"We're in design and costing and then we will be looking for funds for that, so it is a priority that we are working on currently," he said.

Further to that, interim discussions are occurring on planning and accessibility to ensure the facilities meet community needs.

Mr Triming has welcomed the news.

"I'm happy it's got to where it is," he said.

"... At least it has advanced after well over 10 years I've been arguing over this. I think [the Western Advocate] article totally changed most people's opinion and the previous councillors are to be congratulated on moving it forward to the position it is at now."

The plan council is working towards is expected to make a big difference for people with disabilities, opening up the library and the art gallery to more people.

"It means I would be able to frequent the library. My wife goes, but I don't go because if I'm there for a period it is likely I'll need to use the toilet. The nearest public toilet is Machattie Park, which is a heck of a long distance away," he said.

"And one also has to remember that that facility has a wheelchair charging point attached to the outside, so it makes sense to have a proper, standard-size accessible toilet in the same building as what the wheelchair charging point is."

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