This is the warming house at the Lions Field ice rink, which has been vandalized recently. The Marquette Township Board of Trustees and township staff are looking at ways to curb the vandalism at the popular facility. (Journal photo by Christie Mastric)

MARQUETTE — Sometimes a popular amenity in a community can have its downside.

Marquette Township recently — and not so recently — has been grappling with vandalism in the warming house restrooms at the Lions Field ice rink. To determine a plan of action, the township board discussed that matter at its Wednesday regular meeting.

Leonard Bodenus, township superintendent of public works, addressed the board regarding the vandalism, with one incident recently taking place.

“This is not the first time,” Bodenus said. “This is not even the second time that we’ve encountered this over in that area. For some reason, that place is just a magnet for this type of harming things.”

Because of this, the warming building was locked, he said. However, people who used the nearby Kiddee Park did not want to walk their children to the pavilion for restroom use because it was too far away. So, they asked if the warming house would be reopened.

Within about 36 hours, it was vandalized again, Bodenus said.

A board meeting agenda supplement indicated that doors and drywall were damaged, plus over the last few years, the township has experienced kicked-in doors, damaged drywall, graffiti, sinks ripped out of the walls and broken toilets.

In a July 28 memo to the board, township Manager Jon Kangas said the vandalism of the warming house restrooms was expected.

“While this is a very nice feature of the park, it has very quickly become an attractive nuisance for certain park users,” he wrote.

Kangas said security cameras capture activities outside the building, but not inside.

“It is great to see public park facilities being heavily used,” he wrote. “However, parents need to be aware of what their child(ren) is/are doing when they gather with their friends. Parents should also be informing their child(ren) of the fact that we do have cameras at the facility.”

However, Kangas pointed out that not all “mischief” is caused by kids. The township, in fact, has placed a no-trespass order against an adult at Lions Field for recent inappropriate behavior.

In the memo, Kangas urged that the township consider using these orders, adding it is not fair to expect staff to repair damage every time it happens.

“I am a firm believer in giving taxpayers access to the facilities that they helped pay to build,” Kangas wrote. “However, I cannot justify the expense of monitoring the facilities every moment they are open, much less covering the cost of repairs when damage occurs.”

At the Wednesday meeting, Bodenus asked for guidance from the board.

Township Clerk Randy Ritari suggested that the warming house restrooms be built to the same standard as that of the pavilion. Also, people who are caught vandalizing the facilities should be given a no-trespass order.

“You can keep them off of public property if they’ve done something wrong for a period of time, and if they violate that, there’s more serious ramifications,” Ritari said. “We’re getting resources for our taxpayers for these facilities, and it’s just a shame that they’re getting destroyed.”

At the meeting, Kangas again suggested a no-trespass order. He said if the restrooms are to remain open, the facility must be made more vandal-proof.

“The fixtures in the pavilion are basically prison-grade fixtures,” Kangas said. “That’s what we need to do. No more drywall. We need to go to cinder block because you’re not going to break cinder block with your elbow or your fist or your skateboard or whatever it is.”

Ritari said, “Vandals are usually lazy. So, if you make things harder for them to vandalize, it probably won’t happen.”

Township Attorney Roger Zappa said a no-trespass order would dictate to perpetrators that they would not be welcome to return to the area, and if they do come back, they would be charged with trespassing and a criminal procedure would take place.

Zappa said a timeline would have to be set regarding when the person would be allowed to return.

After listening to the discussion, Bodenus said the warming house for now will be open in the morning but locked later in day, and he would research how to make it vandal-proof.

“That’s, I guess, all we can do at this point,” Ritari said.