Florida woman cleans restrooms at wildlife refuge shuttered by shutdown

TITUSVILLE, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Sarah Wray says Black Point Wildlife Drive means quiet, an escape from the rat race of daily life. The refuge sits just east of Titusville, Florida, between the Banana River and the Atlantic Ocean.

It sits in the heart of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and contains a seven-mile ring road through marshes dotted with palms, pines and wildlife, lots of wildlife. Within five minutes of entering the wildlife refuge, you are likely to spot alligators, exotic birds and fish breaking the surface of the abundant water throughout. It is simply a breathtaking place to getaway.  

Wray calls it, “A peaceful place.”  But recently she was saddened to discover people have been, in her words, “disrespectful” by leaving trash strewn around the restroom building about halfway through the drive.

The federal shutdown means services in the facility are on hold. So those restrooms are closed and locked. In addition to the trash, Wray says people are also relieving themselves on the grounds outside the little building.

“There’s fecal matter and used paper (on the ground). It’s disgusting” says Wray.

She’s so disgusted by the conditions, and she post about it on a local Facebook community page called  “Titusville, Fl… The TRUTH about what’s happening?” She wants the post to send a message to whomever did and also serve as a warning to others headed to the refuge for some peace and quiet.

Wray says, “Don’t come out here and expect to use the restroom and don’t leave trash out where everyone can see it.”