Mayor Darrin Canniff and Wallaceburg councillors Carmen McGregor and Aaron Hall have expressed frustration over recent vandalism of washrooms at Glen Mickle Park in Wallaceburg.
Unknown persons caused an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 damage when they entered the locked washroom, sprayed graffiti and destroyed toilets and urinals.
“There is no excuse for this,” Canniff said in a media release. “It is senseless destruction with no purpose.”
He noted that the amount of damage equals more than 1,000 persons receiving public skating or more than 15 hours of prime ice time.
McGregor called the act “disappointing,” noting that the cost of repairs “comes from the pockets of taxpayers.
“We have far better use for your tax dollars than to be paying for these kinds of actions,” she said.
Hall said, “It was very frustrating to hear about the incident. Our parks are great community places where families and our youth gather for fun and recreation. Incidents like this have a negative impact on our community and are unacceptable.
“I encourage local residents to sign up for the new online ‘Neighbourhood Protect’ program at www.neighbourhoodprotect.ca, which is a new communication tool the newly formed Neighbourhood Watch group in Wallaceburg is utilizing.”
All three members of council are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Chatham-Kent police at (519) 436-6600 or Chatham-Kent Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. All calls are confidential and the caller may be eligible for a cash award.
