This story was originally published on LincolnChronicle.org and is used with permission.
Oregon State Parks has closed restrooms at six of its sites in Lincoln County after vandals extensively damaged them over the weekend.
Restrooms at Gleneden Beach, Fogarty Creek, Boiler Bay, Rocky Creek, Devils Punchbowl, and Agate Beach parks or waysides sustained interior damage and are partially or fully closed. The damage was discovered Saturday by park rangers, said state parks spokeswoman Lauren Wirtis.
Oregon State Police said Tuesday that the vandalism occurred sometime between approximately 10 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday.
Some restroom buildings are entirely closed; others such as Agate Beach Wayside in Newport closed the men’s side but the women’s side was not damaged and remains open. Two portable toilets were set up near the Agate Beach restroom on Monday.
Wirtis said vandals pulled doors off stalls, ripped paper dispensers from walls, damaged sinks and smashed mirrors.
“We haven’t seen this extensive of vandalism in a local place all at once,” Wirtis said. “This is much more extensive and having a bigger effect on operations.”
She said parks staff are working on repairs and reopen the restrooms as soon as possible.
“It’s terribly disappointing at an incredibly busy time for visitors and our staff,” Wirtis said.
State police said they are seeking information from anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity in or around the restrooms late Friday or early Saturday. Investigators are also asking anyone with video footage from roads leading to or adjacent to the affected state parks to review their recordings for potentially relevant activity.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact state police dispatch at 800-442-0776 or by dialing *OSP* (677) from a mobile phone and reference case numberSP26-274452.
