Vandalism costs park safety, updates

Harrisburg Township Park District recently cleaned up after vandals in an effort to keep the newly renovated park looking nice for returning visitors.

Park district staff have had a string of vandalism throughout the last three months that totals about $4,000 in damage. Ron Emery, executive director for the park said that several lights, signage, playground equipment and parking lots have been damaged in recent events, not to mention the continued defacing of park property with graffiti.

"We want our kids to come and hang out here," Emery said. "This is their park and I don't understand why they would want to deface it."

The park has already spent close to $10,000 over the last year repairing the damaged equipment and restrooms and replacing parking lot gravel. The park district is looking into different ways to help deter the vandals but has little financial resources with which to work.

The park already employs one security guard but with the limit to its funds cannot, at this time, afford full-time security.

"It would cost the park $53,000 to install security cameras throughout the park, we are looking into our options right now and plan to make a decision at our Dec. 16 meeting," Emery said.

Illinois plans to put a freeze on a considerable amount of state funding, which will limit the parks over the next two years. Since the park is a separate entity from the city of Harrisburg, officials have to find their own way to make the park safe.

The park district, has in its plans, to construct three new shelters in the years to come. With each of the signs damaged costing the park $750 dollars a piece and the part needed to fix the playground equipment costing almost $1200, there could be a delay in the progress of this plan.

Until the park can update its security, officials are asking that people from Harrisburg, and surrounding areas, provide a "neighborhood watch" type system and alert the park districts offices when they see vandalism taking place.

"We have caught the vandals in the past by having people call in and tell us who did it, I am sure that system will work for us until other arrangements can be made," Emery said.

To notify the Harrisburg Township Park District of vandalism please call 618-252-2111