After Portsmouth Labour supported local residents and activists campaigning to reinstate toilets at Kingston Rec, today the new toilets and a café at the Fratton park officially opened!

The campaign to have these toilets re-built was started by local resident and Labour campaigner Nikki Coles who collected 1000s of signatures last year. It was clear that residents wanted to see toilets back at this popular family park and today the new facilities in Fratton finally opened!

Back at the beginning of May last year Fratton Big Local unveiled the latest transformation to Kingston Rec. Following its extensive consultation with local people, new additions like a double zip wire and a water play area were added. The transformation was made possible though local grants ensuring the £300,000 met local demands.

At todays opening of the new facilities local campaigner and Fratton Mum, Nikki Coles, said:

“Finally our hard work has paid off and Fratton families won’t have the inconvenience of travelling all the way back to the community centre when enjoying our park. 

Thank you so much to everyone who signed my petition which made this happen. Credit where credit is due, it’s Fratton people that made this happen. 

We must now work together in the area to ensure the safety of the park and avoid any misuse.”

Supporting Nikki at the opening was Fratton Cllr Tom Coles said:

“I’ve always said it is clear that the decision to close and demolish the toilets at the Rec that the Liberal Democrats took in 2013 was a shortsighted one. 

Providing toilets for the users of the park has been a priority of mine for some time and I’ve been calling for urgent action for some time. 

I’m delighted the new facilities are finally open – my only regret is the council took too long meaning they could have benefited our community much earlier this summer”.

Adding his support and thanks to Tom and Nikki Stephen Morgan MP said:

“Thank you to Tom and Nikki, the local community and all involved in providing this much-needed facility in Fratton. 

The Big Local team have worked incredibly hard to transform this popular park into something families can continue to enjoy. 

It’s great to see this open space in the heart of Portsmouth go from strength to strength”.

On behalf of Portsmouth Labour, thank you to the many 1000s of you that signed our petition over the summer! It just goes to show that people action works.