To the Editor:
I no longer live in Bayonne. I currently live in Middletown. NJ. However, my family is still in Bayonne and Bayonne is my place of employment, so one can claim I am still a Bayonne-ite, per say. I am also a mother of two sons who are two and three years of age. Last week, I took my children to Hudson County Park to enjoy a picnic, some physical activity, and the large-scale sprinkler park. All these activities went over great! The parks were beautifully maintained and I felt safe. However, there was a problem that I encountered. My three year old was potty trained a few weeks prior. So, during our four hours at the park, we had to make three separate trips to the bathroom. Shock and awe! The condition of the bathrooms was atrocious!! I could not believe the unsanitary conditions provided by an otherwise splendid park. The women’s lavatory had two stalls. I refused to have my child sit on those seats (yes, he is a boy who still sits). One was encrusted with I have no idea what, one had cigarette butts in it, and wet toilet paper around the seat. The sink had no soap and no paper towels. The floors were wet, and the smell was beyond words. Did I mention I am also pregnant with a heightened sense of smell and severe nausea? So, I marched myself into the men’s room hoping to find better conditions or at least a urinal he can stand at and reach comfortably. I found a urinal with plastic bottles thrown in it and filthy. There was also a stall with a locked door. The floor looked similar to the women’s room. I threw out my flip flops before crossing the threshold of my house and hosed down my children’s water shoes. I cannot understand why the bathrooms are not mildly maintained. It truly looked as if nobody had cleaned them in months. I understand kids are messy. But this was way beyond messy. This was grotesque. For a park that was so well maintained in other areas, this was unsettling. I hope the park system cleans it soon and not just once, but consistently. Parks in Middletown have well maintained bathhouses. Why is Bayonne not on board with cleanliness?
LISA POWELL