Thurgoona playground opened earlier this year at Ernest Grant Park

They were full of praise for the $1.34 million Ernest Grant Playspace opened earlier this year, but said not having toilets on site was a turn-off.

Their concerns extended also to the playground not being fenced off, given the safety concerns for children through being close to a main road, and a lack of signage for parking.

But an Albury Council spokesman said there was an existing toilet block about 150 metres from the playground at Ernest Grant Oval and that this was accessible from the park.

Parents who spoke to The Border Mail said the design for the playground should have included public toilets at the outset.

Wodonga mother Sheree Clampit said safety was an issue given the toilets pointed out by the council were on the other side of the oval.

Ms Clampit said that wasn't practical, especially for parents with more than one child.

"It's a good park," she said.

"But it makes it harder for me to want to go to that park because of the toilet being so far away from the playground.

"My son likes the novelty of going to toilets as well and likes to go quite a lot, being a kid.

"But with the toilet blocks being so far away it's not viable and that makes it a safety issue."

Ms Clampit, who has a disability, said this limited her ability to be present for her son.

"Not only is having bathrooms further away a problem, but also the parking and the park being so close to the road is, too," she said.

"You need to have amenities within close proximity to each other."

Thurgoona mother Monique Neyra agreed, noting that the park "lacked the fundamentals".

"It's a beautiful park but you can't have something made and not cater to the main users," she said.

Ms Neyra said parking was also an issue, given people in busy periods parked on the side of the road and so "there's risks in all directions".

"They want the park to be utilised but when it comes down to functionality, it's not there," she said.

City landscapes service leader David Costello said the council's public toilet strategy focused on prioritising new facilities where safe access to a toilet did not exist, or where toilets were non-compliant.

"The community is encouraged to drive around behind the park to access the car park via Bottlebrush Street, rather than parking on busy Thurgoona Drive," he said.

"Signage has been erected on-site to alert drivers of these improved facilities."

Kate Dodds said it was a mission for her and her three children to get to the park.

"We also didn't realise where the actual parking was and had been parking on the side of the busy road," she said.

"Only then did I realise when I saw a tiny sign to where the parking was actually located."

Ms Dodds said walking across the oval to the toilet block was a struggle.

"Once by the time we walked over and finished we had to walk back across the oval and the park in the dark to get to the car," she said.

It was a similar issue for Namara Nyhan, who said the distance to the toilet block took "a ridiculous amount of time".

Mr Costello said the playground was an inclusive, safe space for families.

"There's a skate bowl, pump track, pathways, seating and shelters, and a new 82-space car park on the western side of the park," he said.

Thurgoona's Courtney Summerfield said the park was great, but "I've lost count of how many times my three-year-old daughter has wet herself trying to make it to the toilets while we are there."

Mr Costello noted the parents' concerns.

"Future upgrades of the facilities at Ernest Grant Park Oval may include the provision of new public toilet facilities in the longer term," he said.