Syringes, needles scattered in toilets used by junior softballers

Members of the Geraldton Softball Association say they were shocked to find sharps disposal containers broken open and needles scattered on the floor of public toilets near the softball ground at Utakarra this week, on a day when children were arriving at the ground to train. Association member Jay Corlett said a woman walking her dog at the ground notified him about the needles when he arrived at the ground. The association contacted the City of Greater Geraldton, who dispatched a contractor to deal with the mess, however Corlett said with children already arriving, he used a grabbing stick to pick up the syringes and needles and secure them in a sealable paint bucket. As well as the sharps boxes in the men’s and women’s toilet blocks being smashed open, used and unused syringes and needles were scattered on the floor while the sanitary bin in the ladies’ toilet was upended and sanitary products were scattered with syringes and needles mixed into the mess. The toilets were also filled with waste, rubbish and toilet paper, and left unflushed, Corlett said. “I was just lucky enough to turn up at the right time,” he said. “It’s nobody’s job to go around cleaning that sort of stuff up.” Association president Denise Bell said she understood the City sent the contractor out “expeditiously”, and they disposed of the needles and syringes and cleaned up. She said this wasn’t the first time similar incidents had happened, with the association also finding needles at its clubhouse and sea container, and said the public needed to be aware of the problem and know what to do. She said the association notified members immediately when incidents occurred, and she hoped other people also knew not to pick up needles if they found them. The toilets were also due for an overhaul as they were used by as many as 400 to 500 playing members of the softball association during the week and on game days, with family members also attending the ground, and she estimated there were also around 200 teeball players who used the ground, she said. She said toilets were also available in the association’s clubhouse when it was open, but some people still used the public facilities depending where they were situated on the field, while during the association’s June carnival, multiple diamonds were used on the larger field and on nearby Towns oval and as many as 1000 people would visit the city to participate. “It’s bad enough the locals having to see and contend with that ... and be confronted by it,” she said. Chief executive Ross McKim said a contractor who arrived within around half an hour of the City being notified by phone. He said vandalism in public toilets was becoming more frequent and said the City took the incidents seriously and worked to address them as soon as it was notified. “It’s disappointing that our community amenities are treated in this manner,” he said. “We implore people to do the right thing and respect our city.” A query has been sent to WA Police about the incident, while queries have been sent to the City to check whether further action has been taken.