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Mountain Lakes resident urges Morris County to address long-closed bathroom building at county park
Summary
Resident Audrey Lane told the Morris County Board of Commissioners the bathroom building at a widely used county park (referred to in the transcript as "the Torn") has been shuttered for about 10–15 years, attracts trash and poses risks; the board pledged to look into the matter but gave no formal directive at the meeting.
Audrey Lane of 31 Melrose Road in Mountain Lakes told the Morris County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 17 that a bathroom building at a heavily used county park (referred to in the transcript as “the Torn”) has been shuttered for roughly 10–15 years and is deteriorating.
Lane said she has raised the issue with county commissioners and attended a parks commission meeting, but that demolition or renovation was described to her as costly. “For the past 10 to 15 years, I've seen the bathroom shuttered up, closed up, and starting to fall down,” Lane said. She reported seeing empty beer cans, trash and other signs that the structure could be misused and emphasized concerns given a higher-than-desired rate of homelessness in the county.
The presiding official thanked Lane for bringing the concern to the board's attention and said the county would "absolutely look into it." Commissioners clarified that the parks commission is an autonomous board (whose members the county appoints) and confirmed awareness of the issue; no specific timeline or staff assignment to repair, demolish or otherwise address the structure was recorded during the meeting.
The board did not take formal action on the matter at the Dec. 17 meeting. Lane's comments and the board's acknowledgment were entered into the public record for potential follow-up by the parks commission or county staff.
