Hartselle Parks and Recreation Department will begin locking the bathrooms near the pavilions in Sparkman Park overnight after vandalism was reported several times recently.

Parks and Recreation director Frank Miller said soap, paper towel and toilet paper dispensers were ripped off the walls in the bathrooms multiple times over the last few weeks.

Since they were unsure of the time that the vandalism has been occurring, Miller decided the bathrooms would be locked at 4:30 p.m. every weekday afternoon and reopened at 7:30 a.m. each weekday morning. The bathrooms will also remain locked all weekend.

“It’s becoming a problem,” Miller said. “So far, it hasn’t cost us anything to have the dispensers replaced because we had a few extra ones. I hate that we’ve gotten to this point, because it is such an inconvenience for the public.”

Miller said those who rent the pavilions when the bathrooms are closed will be given a key to access the bathrooms. For those who are walking the track or visiting the playground area next to the pavilions, the closest open bathrooms are located at the baseball field.

“It’s not as much of an inconvenience for those who walk the track, because the walking trail goes near the baseball fields, but for those who are just watching their kids play on the playground, it’s a pretty good walk to get to the bathrooms,” Miller said.

Miller said he doesn’t know how long they will continue to lock the bathrooms overnight.

“We may wait a while before we try it again,” Miller said.