Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Bryant Rasmussen, Monday, told the Parks and Rec Board damage a vandal or vandals inflicted on the restrooms at Sunnyside Park, exceeded $1,200, not counting the labor necessary to clean-up the mess. Ramussen said he first found out about the damage last Saturday morning, from a person who made a shelter reservation for Saturday night and who wanted to make sure the facilities were clean and ready to use. He learned the paper towel holders and soap dispensers had been ripped from the walls, ripped open the toilet paper holders, and even left a feces dropping on the floor.

Sunnyside restroom vandalism photos from the Atlantic Parks & Rec Facebook page.

Ramussen and his staff spent about two-to- three hours at the Camblin Additon and Kiddie Korral restrooms at Sunnyside, before moving on and finding out the waterless restroom at the Schildberg Recreation Area (SRA) had been destroyed, including the wall heater, which in and of itself costs $1,200. The toilet was also flipped upside down, and the seat was broken-off. Only the bathhouse was left alone. Other damage included toilets being plugged-up by toilet paper and a rubber stopper, in an attempt to flood all the bathrooms.

Rasmussen said they would like to be able to get WiFi cameras installed, but NishnaNet is currently busy with the Atlantic School District’s Return-to-Learn WiFi project. He said in the interim, four trail cameras have been ordered and two more have been donated. They will be connected via an app and Bluetooth. The information can be downloaded on the app. Those camera’s have infrared sensors so their location is not given away by a flash. It’s hoped they will be installed later this week. Exterior restroom lighting will help to shed more light on persons who enter the facilities. The insides are lit by motion sensing lights.

The restrooms were closed for a while over the weekend but have since re-opened. Only the tennis court restrooms are closed, but that’s not related to vandalism. Rasmussen said the issue instead, is with a leak in the parking lot. They’re attempting to find the source of that problem.

Travis Garrett, who served as Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Director from 2008-2011, spoke at the meeting Monday evening. He mentioned as a citizen and disc golf enthusiast, they were holding a tournament last weekend, and were disheartened to see the restrooms locked-up, but everyone understood why, once they learned of the damage.

Garrett said the other disc golfers he doesn’t know what the solution is, but he wanted to offer the support of the club to aid in making those incidents of vandalism less likely to occur, by whatever means possible. He implored people to if they see unusual activity going on after dark, to “say something” to the Police Department by calling their non-emergency number. He thanked Bryant and his crew for cleaning up the mess as quickly as they could. Sunnyside Park, he said, will host another disc golf event in October.

In other business, Director Rasmussen said work continues to install the dock at the Schildberg Recreation Area. A new information kiosk has also been installed, and a three-sided enclosure to protect the trash bin has been erected. The kiosk will include local menus and walkability information added for those who wish to see Atlantic’s attractions on foot.

New signs at the SRA will be installed along the trails to better indicate mileage, flora and fauna, friendly camping tips, the fact recreational equipment is available from the Parks & Rec Department, and more. The City of Atlantic’s Street Department, he said, is closer to completing a trail at Mollett Park at the east end of E. 3rd Street Place, and the Street Department continues to work in the Bull Creek area to clear trees, in preparation for work on the washout and culvert.