Vandals ruin playground equipment

Residents have expressed their disgust after mindless acts of vandalism caused thousands of dollars damage to a children’s playground in Broome.

Shire of Broome parks and gardens co-ordinator Chris Lane said a tyre swing and two slides were set on fire, while a table and chairs were defaced earlier this month, which could cost $10,000 to replace at the Palmer Road Park in Cable Beach.

“The tyre swing has been burnt to the ground, the slide has been burnt from underneath with holes through it, then the table and chairs have been buckled over and destroyed,” he said.

“All of this will need to be replaced, (costing) approximately $10,000 in purchasing and replacing — it could be a month and a half before it comes back.

“It’s becoming quite costly to the ratepayers and its time our staff could be using elsewhere — you don’t expect this sort of thing to happen.”

Local resident Chrissy Carter often visits the park but is disappointed with how regularly it is vandalised.

“We walk our dogs there sometimes and we see kids playing in the park, I think it’s a good little park — it’s just a shame it’s always a mess with broken glass everywhere,” she said.

“It’s really disregarded and there is always something burnt out there ...

“It could be a lovely little spot... but it’s just a shame that it’s trashed a lot.”