Post by progressiveelement on Sept 19, 2018 1:27:27 GMT
The reason I ask is that two leisure centres in the county I live in have decided to make this a thing.
Unisex changing rooms in Barry and Penarth leisure centres defended by council Concerns over voyeurism have been raised about other similar facilities
Vale council has defended the installation of unisex changing rooms in Barry and Penarth leisure centres.
Work to install unisex wet changing rooms at the two leisure centres is now due to start after delays in finding a company to carry out the £1.7million work.
Both leisure centres will have new 'changing villages' for pool users of both sexes with single-person cubicles that can be used by people of any gender.
New dry changing facilities will also be installed in Penarth Leisure Centre, but Barry Leisure Centre's dry changing facilities won't be upgraded as they were last refurbished in 2012.
Completion is now not expected until early next year - despite the work initially being scheduled to be done by the end of 2018.
Dave Knevett, the council's operational manager for neighbourhood services, healthy living and performance, has insisted the new unisex changing rooms will be safe.
It follows concerns about similar facilities elsewhere - including at the Star Hub in Splott, Cardiff, where 1,000 people signed a petition calling for separate male and female changing areas after fears of voyeurism at its unisex changing area.
Mr Knevett, speaking at the Vale council's Healthy Living and Social Care Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday (September 11), was asked by councillor Neil Thomas to reassure people whether the changing rooms will be safe following the concerns.
He said the changing villages "deal with a number of problems we have had over the years with families wanting to change together".
"The dry changing rooms will remain single sex facilities," he said. "If anyone objects to changing in the changing village they will be able to change in the dry area.
"The last thing we want to do is stop anybody enjoying their activities.
"I feel we're covered on all sides of the equation."
Work on Penarth Leisure Centre's new dry changing rooms began this week and is due to be complete by the end of November, the meeting was told.
For the wet changing rooms, work will begin in early December and will be finished by the end of March 2019.
In Barry, the work on the wet changing rooms will begin on September 17 and will be complete by the middle of February, councillors were told.
Both centres will remain open throughout the work.
The project was delayed after it took longer than expected to find a firm to carry out the work within budget.
G. Oakley and Sons from Cowbridge has been appointed to carry out the work.
Vale council has defended the installation of unisex changing rooms in Barry and Penarth leisure centres.
Work to install unisex wet changing rooms at the two leisure centres is now due to start after delays in finding a company to carry out the £1.7million work.
Both leisure centres will have new 'changing villages' for pool users of both sexes with single-person cubicles that can be used by people of any gender.
New dry changing facilities will also be installed in Penarth Leisure Centre, but Barry Leisure Centre's dry changing facilities won't be upgraded as they were last refurbished in 2012.
Completion is now not expected until early next year - despite the work initially being scheduled to be done by the end of 2018.
Dave Knevett, the council's operational manager for neighbourhood services, healthy living and performance, has insisted the new unisex changing rooms will be safe.
It follows concerns about similar facilities elsewhere - including at the Star Hub in Splott, Cardiff, where 1,000 people signed a petition calling for separate male and female changing areas after fears of voyeurism at its unisex changing area.
Mr Knevett, speaking at the Vale council's Healthy Living and Social Care Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday (September 11), was asked by councillor Neil Thomas to reassure people whether the changing rooms will be safe following the concerns.
He said the changing villages "deal with a number of problems we have had over the years with families wanting to change together".
"The dry changing rooms will remain single sex facilities," he said. "If anyone objects to changing in the changing village they will be able to change in the dry area.
"The last thing we want to do is stop anybody enjoying their activities.
"I feel we're covered on all sides of the equation."
Work on Penarth Leisure Centre's new dry changing rooms began this week and is due to be complete by the end of November, the meeting was told.
For the wet changing rooms, work will begin in early December and will be finished by the end of March 2019.
In Barry, the work on the wet changing rooms will begin on September 17 and will be complete by the middle of February, councillors were told.
Both centres will remain open throughout the work.
The project was delayed after it took longer than expected to find a firm to carry out the work within budget.
G. Oakley and Sons from Cowbridge has been appointed to carry out the work.
