NATCHEZ — Carol Prudhomme always looks forward to seeing her grandson, Jacob Smith, play little league baseball at Duncan Park.

She doesn’t, however, look forward to using the park’s restroom.

“It’s just awful,” Prudhomme said of the current condition of the restroom located closest to the tennis courts. “Last night, I couldn’t even use it. It was so stopped up and full of paper.”

Natchez Mayor Butch Brown said he is aware of the restrooms’ poor condition, and the city is taking steps to remedy the problem.

Brown said he would like to see a brand new facility replace the restrooms near the tennis courts, which have one toilet for women and one for men.

“We are currently in the finalization of discussions where we plan to build — as soon as the board gives me the go ahead —a new complex,” said Brown, adding that the facility would be modeled after the antebellum barn structure near the restrooms.

“That building will house a very modern, large, well-equipped facility for women and men.”

And aside from rusted walls and unreliable toilets, Brown said there has also been a recurring issue of vandalism in the Duncan Park restrooms.

Kicked-in doors, graffiti and knocked-out lights are common eyesores in the park’s restrooms, he said.

“We have vandals who take pleasure in destroying public property,” Brown said.

With the proposed new facility, Brown said the city would incorporate “tighter security” near the restrooms, which would allow law enforcement to identify and prosecute vandals.

Once plans are approved, Brown said construction would begin immediately.

“I think it could be built probably for somewhere between $250,000 to $300,000,” Brown said.

Ward 5 Alderman Mark Fortenbery said on average, hundreds of people from the city and county use Duncan Park daily.

Especially in the spring, Fortenbery said Duncan Park plays host to countless sporting events.

“That is our community park,” Fortenbery said. “And it needs to be kept up.”

Compared with other city needs, like a public swimming pool, Fortenbery said the Duncan Park restrooms should take priority.

“I would like to see us invest $500,000 out there,” Fortenbery said. “It would go a long way.”

As for Prudhomme, she said she looks forward to seeing the city take action as soon as possible.

“These children, they need something better,” Prudhomme said. “They can’t come out here and wait until they get home to go to the bathroom.”

Brown said he hopes to approve the plan for a new restroom facility at the board’s next meeting, June 9.