Boon Street Bus Station Set for Major Upgrade

Whakatāne’s Boon Street bus station and public toilets are set for a major upgrade, with demolition of the ageing facility expected to begin before the end of the year.

Whakatāne District Council plans to replace the existing building, which dates back to 1962, with modern public toilets, dedicated facilities for bus drivers and improved passenger waiting areas.

The project will also transform the surrounding public space, with covered bus stands, seating, lighting and new paving planned to improve comfort, accessibility and safety.

The existing Boon Street facility has received only minor upgrades over the years and has now reached the end of its useful life, according to the council.

The replacement building will include separate male and female public toilets, two unisex accessible toilets and a dedicated amenities area for bus drivers.

The project has received $637,500 in Crown funding administered by New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi through its Bus Driver Safety and Work Environment Fund.

The funding will support improvements to bus driver safety and working conditions, including better facilities across the public transport network.

The co-funding follows a successful application by Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council to improve bus driver facilities in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

The upgrade comes as Whakatāne District Council faces growing pressure to improve its public toilet facilities.

Council Residents Survey results show satisfaction with public toilets has fallen from 74 per cent in 2019 to 49 per cent in 2026, below the national benchmark of 58 per cent.

In the 2025/26 survey, 37 per cent of residents surveyed said they wanted the council to spend more on public toilets.

Whakatāne District Council Kaihautū Māori Partnerships and General Manager Commercial Hone Patrick said the project would provide facilities better suited to the community’s needs.

“We know the current Boon Street facilities are no longer meeting the standard our community expects,” Patrick said.

“Crown co-funding gives us a great opportunity to replace an ageing building with a safer, more welcoming and accessible facility, while also improving the surrounding space to better serve residents, visitors, passengers and bus drivers.”

The project will shortly go out to tender, with construction scheduled for completion by May 2027.

The council is also working with the Citizens Advice Bureau, which currently operates from the Boon Street building, to arrange its relocation and ensure the community service remains available.

Further details about the relocation and construction process are expected as the project progresses.