Waipā council urges community to call out vandalism when and where they see it

If you spot vandalism - like this at Kaniwhaniwha reserve - in progress, call the police and pass on identifying details such as number plates and vehicle descriptions. Photo / Supplied

Ratepayers are footing the bill for a spate of vandalism, which Waipā District Council says is causing headaches for staff, frustration and despair for neighbouring residents, and a hefty bill to ratepayers for cleanup.

Ripped-up parks, tagging, the destruction of council property and thefts are just some of the ways vandals have ruined the council's various parks and public facilities in the district.

Council acting manager community services Brad Ward said it needed to stop.

"A lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into making our district look as good as it does, so it's distressing and devastating to see our work go to waste. Our staff and contractors take real pride in their work, so when they turn up and see the damage being done, it has a real impact on them."

"Our team invests a lot in our various facilities, both physically and emotionally. The vandalism needs to stop."

Ward said while the physical cost of vandalism was climbing, it was the hidden costs that would be felt by ratepayers.

"The cumulative costs are expensive to repair or replace a broken public toilet or resow the grass in a shredded park, but it's also costing council a lot to process these jobs. The admin, reporting, following up with the public and contractors, project planning: the costs all mount up and it takes staff away from other priority areas."

Ward said the council had recently begun a programme of works to strengthen park security in several locations district-wide including Pukemako, Gaslight Theatre, Bulmers Landing and Te Awamutu Cemetery.

"We know of other areas in the district which are also hotspots for vandalism and unwanted behaviour, but these four sites are where we have been receiving the most feedback and repair costs."

Security cameras, new gates that will enable selected areas to be closed at night, bollards and speed bumps will be added to these sites to reduce the impact of burnouts, other vehicle-related vandalism and antisocial behaviour.

These measures did not receive funding through the 2021-31 long-term plan, so the funds are being redistributed from other park budgets. The result is the district missing out on other park improvements to further enhance its parks and reserves.

The destruction of Kaniwhaniwha reserve by hooligans doing burnouts garnered strong public condemnation on social media, but Ward said the community needed to call out vandalism when and where they saw it.

Community members who spot vandalism in progress should report to police and pass on identifying details such as number plates and vehicle descriptions. If the offenders are no longer on site, the information can be passed to police using their 105 number and www.police.govt.nz.

Above all, Ward encouraged residents to take pride in their district, and respect the work the council put into creating attractive, liveable spaces for the community, and asked parents and community leaders to pass that message on to the people around them who might not think about the work that went into caring for the district.