Help stop vandalism

A plea for public assistance has been launched following a spate of mindless vandalism which has resulted in thousands of dollars worth of damage to the Lindvart Park pavilion at Kaikohe.


The attack on the building at the weekend resulted in doors and interior walls being smashed, storage cupboards used by sports codes broken into, graffiti being painted on exterior walls and the ground floor flooded with a fire hose.


"We haven't completed final estimates but the cost of repairs is likely to run into several thousands of dollars," Infrastructure and Assets Operations Manager Sue Hodge said today.


Damage to public buildings and facilities as a result of vandalism was on ongoing problem across the district. Public assistance in reporting any suspicious activities was essential if those responsible were to be brought to account.


"We really need the co-operation of the community to get on top of incidents such as occurred at Lindvart Park at the weekend. We would urge people with any information which could help identify those responsible to contact either the council or the police," she said.


The must frustrating aspect was that the facilities provided at locations such as Lindvart Park were primarily for the benefit of younger age groups which in many cases were believed to be responsible for the damage that was occurring.


"Rather than spending huge sums of money stepping up security to prevent damage, the council would prefer to use that money to extend and improve the facilities available. But that will only be possible with the support of the community at large in addressing the underlying social issues which result in damage of this nature," she said.