Vandals damaged one of the Waipā District’s newest playgrounds over the weekend, lighting a fire and ripping plants from the ground.
Community services manager Brad Ward said a fire was lit in the middle of the swings at the new Terry Came Drive playground in Cambridge, rubbish was thrown around, and an attempt was made to burn the water fountain. The pulled plants were put into the toilet and hand basin.
“It is extremely disappointing and frustrating. The playground only opened in October and has become a popular site for the community,” Ward said. “This is a space for tamariki, parents, grandparents and the wider community to play, learn and grow, and it’s really sad to see people have gone out of their way to damage such a valued asset.”
The playground and amenities were built by a developer, Transland Developments 2009 LTD.
“The most costly repair will be to replace the section of safety surfacing in the middle of the swings that has melted from the fire. Our team are making it a priority to repair the turf this week in time for the Christmas break”, Ward said.
Anyone who sees vandalism occurring should phone the Police on 111 and pass on identifying details. Alternatively, if the offenders are no longer on site, the information can be passed to Police using their 105 number and website.
