Bathrooms at the Splash Park were recently closed because of vandalism. City and park officials say vandals are ruining parts of the Parsons City Parks and could possibly endanger future plans to add more amenities for the residents to enjoy.
PARSONS – Vandalism and destruction of the Parsons City Parks has been on an uptick this summer and officials are concerned about the cost of repairs resulting from these senseless acts. Parsons City Administrator/Treasurer Jason Myers said he and members of Parsons City Council and the Parsons Park Board feel the same way – the vandalism needs to stop.
“Last year on the stage in Mill Race Park, we added screens in the windows so there was some air circulating across the stage for the performers,” Myers said. “Those screens have all been cut out. Somebody took a knife and cut all our screens out. Why? Why would someone do this? They were there for a purpose and someone felt the need to destroy them.”
Myers said the cost of the screens and wages to install them, they cost several hundred dollars to install.
“Just about every week, our staff is cleaning up the floors of the restrooms in Mill Race Park where people are using the bathroom on the floor rather than using the commodes,” Myers said. “So, our guys are left to clean that up and because of that happening, we have subscribed to a professional cleaning service that comes in weekly to clean the bathrooms so there is no disease and contamination. Household cleaners are not strong enough to clean up this type of mess.”
Parsons City and Park Officials want everyone to know that acts of vandalism not only destroy the parks and the services offered to residents and visitors, but these acts are against the law. If vandals are identified, they could face charges, fines, fees or possible mandatory community service hours.
Recently, vandals at River City Park removed the cleanout cap and packed it full of dirt and then flushed the toilets until they overflowed. Myers said those restrooms were under repair for a few weeks, leaving no restroom facilities for the public at the River City Park.
“We had to dig up the lines and replace them because the packed dirt basically turned into concrete,” Myers said. “We had to have the professionals come in and clean up the rest rooms before we could open them up again to the public.”
Myers said the basketball rims at River City Park will no longer have nets. He said each time they are replaced, the nets are gone or torn up by the end of a week.
“We can’t even keep basketball nets over there,” Myers said. “Just the other day, we discovered one of the clear acrylic backboards on the basketball hoops has been shattered. With shipping, those each cost approximately $1,000. They were just replaced two years ago.”
Money spent to correct vandalism comes from the general fund in the budget and takes away funds that could be used to add additional amenities to the parks for residents and visitors to enjoy. Last summer, the City and Park Board opened the Splash Park which is available free of charge. Myers said people are not following the rules and damage to the filters is costing a great deal.
“People are allowing kids to bring French fries, popcorn, shaved ice and juice boxes into the fenced area of the Splash Park,” Myers said. “Food and drink are to be used outside of the splash area. Picnic tables are provided outside of the splash area. When food ends up in our filters it plugs them up. There are four filters that cost $200 each to replace.”
Myers said this week, they had to ask patrons to remove their dog from the splash pad area. He said he is a dog lover, but said the hair would destroy the filters. “Animals are not allowed on the Splash Pad,” Myers said.
Myers said using the city parks and Splash Park are a privilege not a right. “Privileges can be taken away. If this vandalism continues I can see the hours of the Splash Park being reduced to a couple hours a day and during those hours we may have to start charging for folks to use it because we may have to hire a monitor to make sure people don’t bring food in and administer the rules. If we have to do that, people are going to have to start paying to use it.”
Anyone observing any type of vandalism in the city or the parks is urged to contact the Parsons City Police or the City of Parsons Business Office at 304-478-2311.
