In February 2019 a petition signed by 74 Fern Tree residents opposing the removal of the old bus shelter and its replacement with a new combined bus shelter and toilets was submitted to Council.
The petition was accompanied by a letter requesting consideration of two other sites for the new toilets. One option was the in park near St Raphael’s Church, the second was 70 metres along the Pipeline Track opposite the double-storied barbecue shelter.
On 4 March 2019, Council considered the petition and a preliminary assessment of the alternative toilet sites. The park location was eliminated due to heritage issues. The Pipeline Track option involved significant building challenges because of its proximity to a water pipeline and would have required the clearing of forest, which would have impacted two large trees and cost considerably more.
In accordance with that resolution Stage 1 of the Fern Tree Park Upgrade started on 18 March 2018.
Designs for the new combined bus shelter and toilets were amended to include rock cladding on two exterior walls in response to requests from the Fern Tree Community Association and petitioners, who asked for rock to be integrated into the new building.
A survey of Fern Tree residents on the design changes indicated that a majority supported the combined rock and timber cladding on the new bus shelter and toilets.