Vandalism on the rise at sports bowl

Tagging on the side of the clubrooms at the all-weather track, Masterton. PHOTO/ALISA YONG

Ongoing vandalism at Masterton's Colin Pugh Sports Bowl has spiked over the past few weeks, with signs tagged and equipment damaged.

Signage at the all-weather track was tagged in the most recent attack of vandalism, and earlier this month four youths were spotted on CCTV vandalising the facility, leaving the tag "Killer Beez Masterton" in several locations.

Chairman of Masterton District Council's parks and open spaces task group, Gary Caffell, said tagging at the sports track was an ongoing problem.

"It's one of the areas that we've probably had the most trouble with. It seems to regularly have tagging there and it's something that doesn't seem to go away."

"It's definitely an ongoing problem at the sports bowl -- it is out of the way a bit and they seem to think that there is a good chance of getting away with it."

Mr Caffell said he often walked through the park and there was regularly graffiti near the sports track.

Most of the tagging was done at night and although there was often a strong police presence in the area, the vandals seemed to choose times when the police were not around, Mr Caffell said.

"It is a difficult one."

Wairarapa police youth and community services manager Sergeant Ian Osland said there had been a spike in tagging and interference with equipment at the sports track, with some equipment damaged.

"We are actively aware of it. We've been through it in our patrol plans and community patrol has been informed, and the community, through neighbourhood support networks, have been made aware of it so if they see anything suspicious they will call it through."

Council spokesman Sam Rossiter-Stead said the council spent between $5000 and $10,000 per year cleaning up graffiti around the district.

At the end of 2015, council installed a CCTV system in the area near the all-weather track to try to combat the problem, Mr Rossiter-Stead said.

Council was unable to lock the track at night due to its obligations under the Reserves Act, which specified the public could not be excluded from the area, he said.