FILE PHOTO: The closed sign on the washroom door at the Centennial Spray Park.
Image Credit: Contributed by Steven Delaney
November 14, 2016 - 4:33 PM
KAMLOOPS - While two washrooms were burned and damaged this fall, public parks in Kamloops don't appear to have a vandalism problem, according to the city.
The heated washroom in Westsyde’s Centennial Park is once again open after it was shut down due to small fires, cracked mirrors and broken stalls. In Juniper Ridge, the washroom near the playground and tennis courts is still closed after someone caused damage with a large rock or sledge hammer, says parks supervisor Shawn Cook.
In Westsyde, the heated washroom was closed for a couple weeks to try to stop the destruction of its interior after repeated attacks caused damage. However, the damage appears to be minimal, costing the city less than $5,000 altogether, Cook estimates. It has been reopened.
“The last few months starting probably beginning of September there was quite a bit of vandalism,” he says. “It’s unfortunate; it’s a year round washroom. It’s supposed to service the park when the ice rink is open.”
Juniper Park’s washroom remains closed after a single incident where it appears someone went in with a large rock or sledge hammer to smash things in September, but Cook believes it to be a one-off incident. A portable washroom has been installed as a temporary replacement.
The vandalism appears to be occurring in the late afternoon or early evening, and both washrooms are locked around 9 or 10 p.m. Westsyde Community Development Society president Steven Delaney has said he believes it to be youth bored after school.
Cook says with the fall weather there are fewer people in the parks, giving vandals a bigger window to strike.
City bylaw officers have been asked to increase patrols in Centennial Park and Cook says RCMP are also aware of the situation.
Additionally, he commends the local community watch associations for getting the word out and keeping an eye on parks during weekends.
“Community associations are so heavily invested,” he says. “[In Westsyde] they have a block watch group, they go out on the weekends. It’s drastically reduced the vandalism in that park.”
Besides security measures, the city tries to schedule when the sprinklers come on in a way that minimizes the opportunities for vandalism, but Cook says due to the nature of parks, there's always going to be some damage.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016