City Battles Ongoing Vandalism

PRAIRIE GROVE — Same song, different verse and officials in Prairie Grove are definitely tired of the tune.

Vandalism at Rieff Park is a continuing problem and the city is constantly battling damages to city facilities.

“It aggravates me,” said Alderman Dale Reed. “We try to do all this nice stuff for the community and people are destroying it.”

Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works, estimates that damages to Rieff Park over the past few months have cost the city more than $1,500 and this doesn’t include cleaning up graffiti on the walking trail and at the skate park.

“The kids have been busy,” Oelrich said at the Nov. 9 City Council meeting.

He listed the damages and costs to repair the damages in a recent email:

• Break in at Rieff Park concession stand. Vandals broke through the sheet rock in the ceiling of the bathrooms and crawled through the attic to the concession stand where they broke through the sheet rock in the ceiling to enter conces- sion area. Nothing stolen, estimated $ 200 to repair sheet rock.

• Lit two fires in trash cans in the bathrooms in Rieff Park, no permanent damage to structure, but smoke and soot on walls, floors, and door, minor paint damage, clean up estimated at $300

• Broke a hole through the roof of one dugout, estimated repair $100

• Graffiti painted on walking trail

• Graffiti painted on skate park

• Broke out windows in the concession building and pressbox, estimated repair cost is $640

• Broke off electrical box in Rieff Park and light fixture on concession building; estimated repair $165

• Ripped off seasonal plywood from windows at aquatic center, no damage, labor to re-install $15

• Damage to the batting facility, cut holes through the steel siding, estimated damage $100

The city’s deductible is $1,000 for repairs so the city is having to absorb the costs of the vandalism, Oelrich said.

The council has talked about installing security cameras at Rieff Park and has received an informal estimate of $ 2,500 for a four- camera system. Reed said he plans to request a quote from one company and Oelrich asked him to get a price for an eight-camera system.

Prairie Grove Police Chief Carl Dorman said officers believe the suspects are probably juveniles because of the nature of the vandalism. He does not have any suspects for the latest round of mischief.

For now, the department is increasing its patrols around the park and watching for troublemakers.

“It’s a continual thing,” Dorman said. “Every once in a while we catch a group but it seems there’s always another group to take their place.”

Reed encouraged citizens to keep an eye on the park and call the city if they see problems or see groups of kids doing things they shouldn’t do.

“It bothers me mainly because I’m a taxpayer like everyone else,” Reed said. “I hate to spend tax money to buy a security system but it probably cost us $1,000 just this weekend.” He added, “Hopefully, we get a lead on who might be doing it.”