PLATTSBURGH — Over $600,000 in improvements to Melissa Penfield Park’s bathrooms were completed recently and they’ve already been vandalized.
“It’s just frustrating,” City of Plattsburgh Mayor Wendell Hughes said.
The renovations at the main building at Melissa Penfield Park included turning the old community bathrooms into four separate ones, and constructing a new community meeting room addition to the existing structure. The idea is to rent out the meeting room to residents who might need it for events such as parties or classes.
The park’s bathrooms were previously identified as needing an upgrade in the Parks Renewal Master Plan, which was approved in January of 2024 and is serving as a future guide to revitalizing the city’s five parks.
Councilors approved the renovations to Melissa Penfield Park last year for a total cost of $607,325.
Hughes and Nikolas Koktowski, the city’s recreation coordinator, said unidentified individuals went into the newly renovated building and tore the plastic coverings off of three thermostats in three of the bathrooms and left marks from bicycles on the walls and floors.
Koktowski said the privacy of the four separate bathrooms was something the public wanted as opposed to the old community bathrooms, especially with so many young children using the space. However, an unintended consequence is that private bathrooms are more at risk for vandalism like this since there’s less people around to see something, he said.
“Having people come in (to a shared community bathroom) is always a watchful eye, because you’re always worried that someone might come in the bathrooms,” Koktowski said.
“You’re not gonna misbehave too much.”
Koktowski said the bathrooms will lock automatically at a certain time, usually close to dusk. Though the Plattsburgh Little League’s games, which usually run until 8:30 p.m. or 9 p.m., have influenced the city to keep them open longer.
“I believe they extended the time already until 9 p.m., it was originally 8 p.m., to try to accommodate everybody that’s still here,” he said.
“It’s just unfortunate, because obviously, the later things are open, the more stuff can happen.”
There are cameras in the building’s lobby area that have helped narrow down who may have caused the vandalism but nobody has been identified yet, Hughes said.
Koktowski said it is especially difficult when the weather is nice and there are so many people in and out of the building throughout the day.
“On the weekend, thousands of people are coming to the park in the afternoon,” he said.
The Plattsburgh Little League, which plays its games on the adjacent field to the bathrooms, took to Facebook and told the public to keep an eye on the facilities and report anything suspicious.
“Plattsburgh Little League families, we need your help. It has come to our attention that the newly renovated facilities near Hector Duquette Field at Penfield Park have been vandalized multiple times—especially the bathrooms. This is incredibly disappointing, and it puts our shared community space at risk,” the Plattsburgh Leaguer wrote in a post.
“Footage shows individuals entering the facilities, but since there are no cameras inside the bathrooms, we’re relying on YOU — our trusted community — to help us keep this space clean, safe, and respected. If you saw something or know something, please come forward. Whether you share information directly with the city, a board member, or even just start the conversation with your kids or their teammates — it all matters,” the post continued.
“Hector is our Majors home field, Penfield Park is a place where our kids grow, play, and build memories. Let’s work together to protect it. It takes a village. and this village looks out for each other.”