Cranbrook, BC (July 18, 2025) – Vandalism and property damage have forced the closure of several public park washrooms over recent weeks but after diligent work by staff, those public washrooms will be re-opening to the public next week. The City is calling on the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the RCMP to prevent further vandalism and damage to these facilities that are available for public use.
The Kinsmen Greenbelt Washrooms have sustained the most severe damage in recent weeks, requiring significant repairs. On Monday, July 7th, staff arrived to find a toilet smashed in the women’s washroom. The washroom was temporarily closed to necessitate repairs. On Tuesday, July 8th, as staff arrived to fully close the facilities, they found the men’s washroom toilet and urinal had since been smashed. Both incidents came a few weeks after toilet lids were smashed and found thrown into Joseph Creek nearby, along with broken soap dispensers. The Moir Park Washrooms have also witnessed repeated break-in attempts in the overnight hours, requiring repairs to the kicked-in doors and hinges.
These individual incidents do not include other isolated occurrences in recent weeks where toilets were found plugged with foreign material, floors peeled back, garbage cans dumped and kicked in, and toilet lids smashed and found outside washroom facilities.
“These acts of vandalism are not only disheartening for our City staff who often face the aftermath firsthand, but they also deprive our community of essential services,” says Kirby Korven, Public Works Manager. “Everyone deserves access to clean, safe washrooms while enjoying our outdoor spaces.”
The estimated damage to the Kinsmen Greenbelt washrooms has exceeded $3,000 in recent weeks, which does not include the door repairs at Moir Park and other repair costs earlier this year.
The City is implementing stronger security measures to prevent further damage to these facilities when they open next week. The public is encourage to report any suspicious activity or damage by utilizing the Cranbrook RCMP’s online reporting tool or calling the RCMP non-emergency line at (250) 489-3471.