Idaho seeks info after ‘terrible case of vandalism,’ extensive damage at state park
The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation seeks help gathering more information after public bathrooms at a state park in southern Idaho were vandalized Saturday morning.
The state agency on social media posted photos of smashed up mirrors, toilets and urinals at the Malad Gorge and Niagara Springs units of Thousand Springs State Park, located in Hagerman, near Twin Falls, and said the park “experienced a terrible case of vandalism.” Five toilets and two sinks were damaged at the Niagara unit, and one urinal and all mirrors were damaged at the Malad Gorge unit, Parks and Recreation spokesperson Chelsea Chambers wrote in an email to the Idaho Statesman.
The department is uncertain how much the repairs will cost, but construction crews are working to clean up and make repairs while they wait to order new mirrors, sinks and urinals, Chambers said.
“Attacks like these on our public lands, vandalism at your Idaho state parks has an immediate and long-term negative effect on the park’s ability to operate for the rest of the year,” Chambers told the Statesman. ”Every single dollar counts when you’re serving around 7 million park visitors.”
Chambers expects the Malad Gorge restroom to open without mirrors sometime Wednesday, but Niagara’s restroom has more extensive damage. In the meantime, park visitors can access portable bathrooms.
Funding for the repairs will come from the park’s operations budget, Chambers said. Most of the department’s budget is raised by the park through fees, and vandalism cases can have a direct impact on park budgets, she added.
The park is working closely with the Gooding County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the incident, and both park staff and Gooding County law enforcement plan to increase patrols in the park, Chambers wrote. The park is also considering locking bathroom doors at night and investing in a camera or more “robust” security system, Chambers wrote.
The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation asks the public to contact the Gooding County Sheriff’s Office at (208) 934-4421 if anyone has information about the incident.
This story was originally published July 17, 2024 at 1:13 PM.
