SENSELESS VANDALISM TO COST COMMUNITY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
Senseless vandalism to public facilities at Tom Culkin Oval in Geurie will cost ratepayers thousands of dollars to repair.
Facilities at the oval including the amenities block, Geurie Youth Club, playground and shade sail have been the target of repeated vandalism in the past months, putting the future use and access to the facilities at risk for the community.
Dubbo Regional Council (DRC) Community Culture and Place Director Craig Arms said the cost to the community already sits above $20,000 with current quotes for repair.
“The shade sails were installed by Council to make this recreational space more pleasant for our young people to use.
“To repair the damage these attacks on public property cause, our community are the ones who foot the bill. We are looking at over $10,000 to repair just the shade sail alone.”
Mr Arms said there were many young people in the community who enjoy using Tom Culkin Oval in Geurie and the vandalism done to the area makes it harder for them to use the facilities in a safe manner.
“The vandalism at the Geurie Youth Club means the public art has been damaged, while the shade sail was put in place to make the area more pleasant to use in summer, as we come into the warmer months it is now not available to service the area as it should.”
DRC offers a reward of up to $2500 for information leading to the conviction of any person who has committed wilful damage, including graffiti, or theft of Council property.
“This includes any equipment, shrubs, trees and plants in parks and gardens, public recreation areas, streets and other public places in the Dubbo Regional Council Local Government Area,” Mr Arms said.
“The reward is an initiative of Council and Police and is designed to give the public ownership of their city and towns and promote a sense of pride in how our region looks.”
Last Edited: 14 Nov 2023