NEWINGTON, Conn. — The Newington Parks and Recreation department is reporting higher number of vandalism incidents in the park system than in recent years.
The department said they are working to combat the increase and asking the community to report any suspicious activity to police.
Vandalism incidents include graffiti in the park system, as well as spray paint on the new exercise equipment at Clem Lemire Park, spray paint on the handicapped accessible playground at Clem Lemire Park, spray paint and vandalism on the electrical boxes at the baseball fields, spray paint on the skate park, and on outdoor fitness equipment at Mill Pond Park.
Newington Parks and Recreation Department said that police have caught kids destroying picnic tables, swings, and slides at the parks, as well as tipping over portable toilets.
The department also reported people have been driving on park and school grounds causing thousands of dollars of turf damage in Mill Pond Park, Deming-Young Farm, Paterson School, John Wallace School, Martin Kellogg School soccer field, Emmanuel Christian Academy soccer fields, and the Newington High School practice football field.
"Oftentimes, this senseless vandalism costs tax payers thousands of dollars. Many staff hours go toward purchasing the correct graffiti remover, applying the materials, and scrubbing off the spray paint," said Bill DeMaio, Superintendent of Newington Parks and Recreation. "When a playground is vandalized today, the replacement cost is thousands of dollars more than when it was purchased years ago. This causes all kinds of budget problems, since vandalism is very hard to predict and budget for."
The decorative water fountain was broken in the sensory garden at Mill Pond Park. Outdoor toilets were filled with sand, which caused more plumbing repair costs.
The Newington Parks and Recreation Department said they are committed to maintaining the parks’ beauty and safety for all residents to enjoy. The Department staff urges the community to help reduce vandalism in Newington by reporting any suspicious activity to the police immediately.
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