Vandalism in Lakeshore. The municipality has announced it has closed the washrooms at the newly completed Stoney Point Community Park due to vandalism. In a social media post, the municipality says staff members are assessing the damage and are working as quickly as possible to reopen the washrooms. Speaking on AM800’s Mornings with Mike and Meg, Manager of Communications and Engagement Alex Denonville says the Stoney Point Community Park opened on Canada Day. He says the park is important to the community. “It was a couple years ago we had a spat of vandalism that closed a few of our other washroom facilities,” he says. “What I’m getting from our parks team is that it’s been a little bit better this year. You know you have your smaller pieces of vandalism, but the recent one in Stoney Point was a bit more significant, and it caused the closure of those washrooms.” Denonville says it’s sad to close the washroom facility because of a senseless act. “We’re just looking for opportunities to kind of reach the next generation to say let’s not do this,” says Denonville. “It’s a reminder, especially from residents and parents; they’re taxpayers, and it increases costs, so it reduces availability of washrooms and facilities, first of all.” He says there’s no reason the vandalism should be happening. “Our park staff certainly have better things to do than clean up from vandalism there,” he says. “Incredibly busy, incredibly dedicated to parks and public spaces. We’re just looking for solutions on how we can get the word out and encourage that culture of ownership around public parks and spaces.” The municipality says it will issue a notice on social media when the washrooms reopen. Lakeshore is also asking anyone with information related to acts of vandalism to contact the OPP or Crime Stoppers.
