A popular tourist attraction in Masterton has been forced to close temporarily after repeated incidents of people defecating inside the facility.
The council-owned fernery in Queen Elizabeth Park, known for its collection of ferns and native plants, was shut for the remainder of Wednesday while cleaning crews carried out sanitation work, Stuff has reported.
In a statement posted on social media, Masterton District Council said the closure was necessary due to ongoing public health concerns.
"Unfortunately, we have had to close the fernery in Queen Elizabeth Park today,” the council said, as quoted by Stuff.
“We’ve had several incidents recently of people defecating in the fernery. This is a public health hazard and our teams are in the process of cleaning it up, aiming to have it reopened tomorrow [Thursday],” Stuff has quoted.
A council spokesperson later described the behaviour as unacceptable and disrespectful to visitors using the park.
“This kind of behaviour, although rare, was completely unacceptable and disrespectful to other park users,” the spokesperson said, Stuff has quoted.
The council also pointed out that public toilet facilities are located nearby.
“There are excellent public toilets literally two minutes from the Fernery in Queen Elizabeth Park, and regularly-praised toilets a few minutes away in the CBD," they said, as quoted by Stuff.
Officials warned that defecating in a public place is an offence under the Summary Offences Act 1981. The council said police would be notified if similar incidents occur again and those responsible can be identified, Stuff has reported.
The fernery is expected to reopen once cleaning and safety checks are completed.