MANSFIELD, Ohio — Mansfield Parks and Recreation is speaking out against recent vandalism at two Richland County parks.
Partnering with the Richland County Park District, the organizations released a joint statement condemning the recent acts of vandalism at Fleming Falls Preserve and Liberty Park.
On April 22, a 22-year-old man drove his car onto the basketball courts at Liberty Park, doing doughnuts while people were playing ball.
“All those tiles were ripped up, and we had people fleeing the area because of some of the pieces that were flying around. So, it was a very dangerous situation, and we went from having two courts to one,” said Mansfield Park Superintendent Michael Woogerd.
Woogerd said those courts were donated two years ago by Coca-Cola and Body Armor, and now they are responsible for the bill, taking away from other resources and parks they want to offer the community, including dog parks, a golf course and additional parks.
“We can’t devote all of our resources towards those efforts if we're going back all the time and cleaning up other people's messes,” said Woogerd.
The 22-year-old man was arrested and charged with felony vandalism, but the issues did not stop there. The following evening, four teenagers broke into the education center at Fleming Falls Preserve, a location they had just opened to the public last year.
“The teens were running around there, breaking cameras, setting off fire extinguishers inside of buildings and the damages totaled to about $2,000,” said Woogerd.
All four teenagers were identified through camera footage.
“I think sometimes there's a disconnect between our own personal ownership and and public spaces. But I would love to get across to these young people that you’re damaging your possessions at the same time,” said Woogerd.
With around 21 neighborhood parks and the chance to explore nature through the county’s educational programs, Jermey Ward makes sure to visit three times a week.
“I bring my clients here that are autistic so that they have a nice place to play and be safe. Many community members have worked hard to re-energize the parks and it’s upsetting when we see vandalism,” said Ward.
Ward said he doesn’t want to see anything taken away from the community because of careless individuals.
“We don’t want things taken away because then they complain there's nothing to do, and I think there needs to be stuff to do but the community and the kids need to take care of what they're given," said Ward.
Woogerd hopes more people will treat the parks as an asset and enjoy the positive impact they have on the community.
“Everybody I talk to has a story about a park that matters to them and an activity that they have been doing throughout their life, whether it be Liberty Park or North Lake Park. We are working hard to try to provide these services for families and I don’t think a kid thinks about how it impacts them when they decide to rip a soap dispenser off the wall or break a lid to a toilet and it does,” said Woogerd.
Anyone who sees suspicious activity or vandalism at a park is encouraged to reach out to the local authority.
