A group of vandals cost the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority more than $1,000 in damage late Saturday night as they tore through Propst Park, but the total cost continues to rise.
Roger Short, executive director of the CLRA, says this latest attack leaves the park no choice but to install a security camera system. He was on the phone this morning speaking to one security firm and waiting on another to call him back.
Without price quotes, Short isn”t sure how much the two-camera system he has in mind will cost, but he hopes to have the cameras in place by the end of this week.
“From the research I”ve done, it shouldn”t take but two cameras. One will canvass the skate park and another will canvass the water spray park,” he said.
Two benches, two trash can holders and two signs were destroyed in Saturday night”s incident. Short says one of the benches was ripped from the ground, which indicates the perpetrators aren”t young children and there is likely a group involved. Vehicle access to the skate park area is limited and no tracks were found.
The broken signs, which were recently installed, displayed park rules carved in wood. The trash can holders, made of plastic-coated metal, were flattened.
The damage mirrors an incident at Propst Park in December, just prior to Christmas, when benches and trash can holders were destroyed along with some crape myrtle bushes. Costs from that incident totaled nearly $1,000.
“This is the second time, so I assume it”s the same group,” said Short.
Terri Songer, information officer for the Columbus Police Department, said fingerprints were recovered from the scene and would be compared with those in the department”s Automated Fingerprint Identification System.
The prints from the scene will also be kept on file and any suspects questioned in connection to the incident will be asked to submit fingerprints.
Short says parents often sat on the benches to watch their children as they used the skate park.
“You”ve got a handful who want to vandalize and that becomes a fiscal burden to the parks and recreation department. It”s just sad you”ve got somebody who can”t find something positive to do,” he said.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
