GRANTS PASS, Ore.– Two local parks in Josephine County were vandalized just days apart. Park officials are concerned how this vandalism will affect the parks.
The Josephine County Parks Department says vandalism has become a growing problem that it can’t afford to keep maintaining.
“This is the first time we’ve actually had a seat torched and stolen. I’m not sure what the motive was there,” said Sarah Garceau Wright, director of Josephine County Parks Department.
Ennis Riffle and Lathrop County Parks were both vandalized just days apart. The crimes are now costing the department quite a bit.
“We’re a 100 percent self-funded so we require you to pay your $5 day-use fee or get an annual pass,” said Wright. “Our doors would not be open without paying customers so pay for the services you use, we appreciate your support and it keeps the facilities open.”
The cost of repairing these two toilets will be around $600. According to Wright, each park earns only about $2,000 annually.
“It really covers toilet paper and trash and then you start adding trash dumps on top of it, vandalism, the need for resurfacing the pavement, new signs all that,” she said. “It just is in over backwards unfortunately.”
The department will be looking to apply for grant funding for the year. In the meantime, parks workers, which there are six covering around 20 county parks, will do what they can to restore the places people love.
“That’s why a lot of people live in Southern Oregon so you can get outdoors and enjoy it,” said Wright. “But without things like usable toilets and clean facilities, nobody wants to use the facilities and so it’s really a shame that we have such a great resource here along the Rogue River and people keep vandalizing it and essentially ruining it.”
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