HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 10-01 Park vandalism - so few do so much damage THE REVIEW.
Park van alism—so few do so much damage
EDITOR'S NOTE:This the first n a people jam the meters so the eletricity under that category like picking up beer an evening party." cc 4 I, /910
two-part series about vandalism i the will remain on beyond the fee time: and pop bottles and trash that is left stewn The city laws dictate all parks are
Maplewood city parks. The roof at Edgerton Playground was around the parks,"Guisinda said. closed to visitors after 11 p.m.When the
- nearly stripped of shingles.A 9-,and a 10- "It is a small percentage of the people police find an illegal beer party after
By MARY LEE HAGERT year-old were caught flying the shingles doing this,"he commented."Some of it is hours there is little they Min do,Baranko
off the roof by the police.Their parents just thoughtlessness and carelessness on said.
Vandalism has taken its toll on are now paying to have the building the part of picnickers,tennis players or Usually none of the party-goers admits I
Maplewood city parks this summer. reroofeel,Baranko said. ball players." to owning the beer.All the police can do is I
The damage done by vandals in the Recently the park crews fished two sets Some of the vandalism is done by older confiscate the beer and tell the partiers to
parks so far in 1980 has cost the taxpayers of soccer goals out of a pond at North teens or young adults,he said.Recently go home,Baranko said. (�,
thousands of dollars and left city officials Hazel Park.The goals were taken down fiberglass players'benches at Goodrich Sometimes following a softball game :C
shaking their heads and asking why this by vandals, ripped apart, the bracings Park were broken and twisted. Each Players may have a few beers and
needless destruction occurs. were broken and the remaining sections bench weighs between 150 and 200 pounds. become overly exuberant and damage
Rudy Baranko,assistant director of the were tossed into the park pond.The crews "We just can't keep up.We have more Park property.
Maplewood Community Services had to rebuild and erect the goals again. things to do during a week than we can When asked if the city might be forced
Department,can rattle off a long list of "We're talking about an awful lot of possibly do.It seems like we are always to prohibit beer drinking in the parks,he
incidents that have taken place in the money here,"Baranko said."A window running behind,"the park foreman said. responded,"I think we will come to that.
parks and playgrounds during the past was broken out at the Maplewood Nature Baranko says that in addition to "At one time I wasn't in favor of it—
few months. Center last winter and it cost over$700 to destroying park equipment,the vandals but so few are causing such great damage
His list includes: a new flush toilet replace." sometimes disrupt other park visitors. that we may have to curtail beer drinking
smashed and a sink ripped off a wall at In addition to the cost of repairing and - He recalls unruly teem and young in the parks altogether.
the Goodrich Park restroom.At the same replacing the park equipment, is the adults drinking beer at Joy Park and "We may try one more summer to see
park,players'benches were broken and money paid for salaries to pay the urinating "all over the place." They how we do.Ramsey County already has a
bleacher seats were damaged at the ball maintenance crews. became obnoxious and disrupted the Policy of limiting beer in its parks."
diamond.The lights illuminating the park Mel Guisinda, park maintenance youngsters' activities at Camp Silver In the meantime, the Community
were shot out. foreman,and his crew of five fulltime Maple during this past summer. Development staff is writing memos to
A satellite restroom at Gethsemane workers spend about 50 percent of their Baranko says he suspects the van- the police department asking it to in-
Park was overturned. time repairing recreation equipment and dalism is frequently done by intoxicated crease patrols of the park.
At least four times the coin boxes on the cleaning up the parks. individuals."Beer parties are'frequently "But how can they possibly be all over
light poles at Maplewood Heights Park "A lot of the things we do are not held at the parks. There might be six the city at one time?" Baranko asks.
tennis courts were jammed.Baranko said- directly related to vandalism, but are cases of beer laying around a park after "And when they do see people in the parks
doing some vandalism, the culprits
usually take off and it's hard to catch
them."
"My personal opinion is that kids today
are held less accountable in what they do.
They don't always have to account for
why they are getting home late,"Baranko
stated.
"Or maybe it's a problem of not enough.
love or attention at home and they find
other ways to get that attention."
...
�,; _
4 * s
x M 4`) .E'.100.-4 ..
. . . t"
ri -It:
,, '\ , ....- - v.....4
' ,,f-'-''''''''-'*-* as �` '",,, '4-,.;41.'',4'"'0, .,--;';II:';''� *A*4.--- - '
treo
' • 1 ',7. 4
.., .,:„..4-,rwrr,'„,"ofi. .. . alfili:-- r . •i'4,......L., ....,....,,-- ...,,--,.,
.. ,:„5,i. ,,,„ , ..:. ,, ..,,_�qe.. - "-o. .t aka.
° e ''' �: „ ?,f fid' "'".s'"#'8S`_Mi N • ,.....
�* w y�t�.,'_-i'Y''"At'ii ,..i...y -.4,' M, +
., ... .
. ,
f.
�� ,q � '» `' ,, >" Et 4,a `.►.. �`. It' , �r
T rr Citi.. ;> , �_� � ,: ..
REPAIRING ACTS OF vandalism is an ongoing chore for vandals and tossed into the marsh waters at the Maplewood
the park crews in Maplewood. This sign was uprooted by Nature Center last week.