ANNOUNCEMENT: Restroom Closures

Molalla Park Users,

Thank you for contacting the City regarding your observations in our Parks. Restroom lockdowns you are experiencing are part of a coordinated effort between all departments of the City to hopefully, address chronic issues you have described. We, like you, believe these restrooms should be available for small children and all Molalla park users. We’ve spent many hours cleaning, painting, and preparing them this year for all users. We have certain individuals undertaking criminal drug use and vandalism in our park restrooms that have required more and more lock downs.

That said, if a park restroom is in a state of vulgar vandalism, biological hazard, and/or drug use paraphernalia is present, it is not available to anyone. We lock the restroom(s) while video evidence is reviewed, Police personnel are contacted, and we must allow cleaning chemicals proper contact time for sterilizing. The process of cleaning the restrooms properly is lengthy, as we must ensure the safety of our Public Works Crew, as well as the public. The intention is not to reduce availability of restrooms for children or others. What it is doing is beginning a process of putting people on notice that we are paying attention and working on the problem. Additional steps are being taken in the parks to make our parks safe facilities for all park users.

As part of our overall concerted effort, our Police Department has substantially increased their park presence. Officers have increased foot patrols, contacts and premise checks in all four of our parks as well as the Bear Creek Byway. We urge each of you to help us solve the problem by calling the Police Non-Emergency Dispatch line: 503-655-8211 each and every time you see something out of the ordinary.

Sincerely,

Dan Huff

Molalla City Manager