In light of repeated vandalism incidents at Kernan Cemetery, in Portadown, where toilets are being left in an appalling condition, maintenance staff may have to restrict access to these much-needed facilities.
Restricting access would involve locking the toilets, so that only individuals with RADAR keys – issued to individuals with disabilities – would be able to access them.
The nature of the incidents is so bad – with faeces being spread in the facilities – that maintenance staff suspect one repeat offender is responsible for the incidents, as opposed to multiple offenders.
The matter was mentioned at a recent Environmental Services Committee meeting of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council.
The relevant agenda item states: “The public toilets in Kernan Cemetery are monitored and cleaned routinely by cemetery staff.
“They provide a convenient and necessary amenity that enhances the public’s ability to visit the cemetery comfortably.
“Ensuring the availability of clean and accessible restroom facilities is crucial for the satisfaction of all visitors, particularly those who may have limited mobility or other health considerations.
“The toilets have frequently been found in a state of poor hygiene due to misuse by visitors.
“These actions require a deep clean by an outside company, to ensure that the toilets are brought back to a safe standard. Each engagement of the company for these deep cleans incurs additional costs.
“The frequent need for deep cleaning suggests that the unhygienic conditions are not isolated incidents, but rather a recurring problem. Cemetery staff suspect that this may be the result of actions by an individual, rather than multiple one-off emergencies.
“To address this issue, officers are currently considering several measures, including installing clear and prominent signs to encourage proper use of the facilities; increasing the frequency of regular cleaning to maintain hygiene standards; introducing a RADAR key system to control access to the toilet.
“This system would ensure that only those with genuine needs, such as elderly or disabled individuals, can use the facility, thereby reducing misuse and maintaining hygiene.
“However, it is important to note that this measure would mean that some members of the public would be unable to use the toilet without a RADAR key.
“The possibility of implementing CCTV was considered, but it was ultimately deemed unsuitable for several reasons.
“The cemetery management team is committed to ensuring the cleanliness and usability of the public toilets in Kernan Cemetery. The team will continue to monitor the situation closely and implement necessary measures to address the ongoing issues.
“If these measures do not lead to an improvement in the situation, the cemetery management may have to consider the closure of the public toilets as it cannot maintain the required hygiene and safety standards.”
Commenting on the matter at the October Environmental Services Committee meeting, Councillor Lavelle McIlwrath stated: “In relation to the toilets at Kernan Cemetery, I just would say, a huge cemetery, lots of visitors, big funerals, [in] my mind the closure of the toilet facilities out there would be the last resort.”
Addressing acting interim head of Climate, Sustainability & Park, Martin Towe, the DUP representative for Portadown added: “I know you are doing your best. It’s absolutely unbelievable that toilets at a cemetery are being disrupted and vandalised.
“Closure probably wouldn’t sit well with our members and maybe others across the chamber as well, so we will keep an eye on that.”
Committee chair, Alderman Margaret Tinsley said she too was outraged by the repeated incidents, and the nature of those: “It’s not even the act of vandalism, it’s the sheer disgusting nature of what the public think is acceptable.
“To be spreading faeces in a toilet in a cemetery, it’s just totally unacceptable.
“And it’s unacceptable for our staff, having to clean that, it’s just ridiculous. I just don’t know why anyone thinks that’s acceptable anywhere.”
The senior council officer explained that these appalling incidents were all too common at Kernan Cemetery: “Over the last six months we’ve had 11 such incidents, so it’s a sustained attack on the toilets.
“While we understand that there will be vandalism in the outdoors, and we deal with that, this is something really that goes beyond that.
“We’ve had to close the toilets five times over the summer, we’ve had to pay £150 each time to have an external company come in and do deep clean on the toilets, but at the same time you understand how important toilets are, particularly in the cemetery, particularly given the type of people who frequent cemeteries, and we would see that as being an absolute last resort as well.
“Having said that, we’re in an impossible situation. We can’t allow this to go on, so we will take some time to go away and we will think about what the potential solutions are, and we’ll bring that back to members at the earliest possible opportunity.”
