June 10 (UPI) — A popular tourist attraction in a New Zealand town has been temporarily closed by officials after multiple incidents involving human feces.
The Masterton District Council said on social media that the Fernery, a building that houses more than 60 varieties of fern at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton, had to be closed for cleaning Wednesday due to the presence of poop.
“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),” the post said.
“This behavior is entirely unacceptable. There are several bathrooms within easy walking distance of the Fernery,” officials wrote.
A council spokesperson said defecating in a public place is criminalized under the Summary Offenses Act 1981. They said police will be contacted if the issue recurs again.
“This kind of behavior is completely unacceptable — and disrespectful to other park users. It is thankfully rare. 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 [Central Business District],” the spokesperson told 1News.
The Fernery was built in 1924 by the Masterton Beautifying Society.