Marshfield Parks and Recreation Department Asking for Help with Vandalism at City Parks

Friday, June 16th, 2023 -- 12:01 PM

Marshfield Parks & Recreation is asking the public for their help to put an end to the rash of vandalism in parks.

The vandalism has unfortunately become an everyday event in our parks. A few bad people are destroying everything. These individuals spray paint graffiti on playground equipment, buildings, sidewalks, tables, signs, and absolutely everything.

They break windows; kick in doors; rip paper towel, soap, and toilet paper dispensers off the walls and smash them on the ground. They set fires; carve on picnic tables; and write offensive words and draw disgusting images.

They smash toilets, urinals and sinks, rip partitions off walls and dump out trash cans. They have even placed marbles on trails in hopes of an injury. They have done about everything you can think of to destroy public property.

Our portable toilet company expressed concern about removing toilets from parks because they get vandalized so often. Vandalism is nothing new to parks, but the amount and frequency of the events are taking a major toll on staff time, budgets, and resources.

Parks and Recreation wants to create a welcoming, safe, clean, and at the very least, usable space. Not only does it cause thousands and thousands of dollars in costs, but it forces facilities to be closed.

We cannot repair restrooms fast enough, so we have to close them as we wait to get equipment and supplies to make the repairs. These repairs require a lot of time and effort to fix, which takes staff away from their other duties.

The parks are community property. We all share the space, and we share the use of them. People are deciding to ruin this space for their enjoyment. The Police and Parks and Recreation Departments are actively addressing the situation by increasing police presence in parks, closing facilities earlier, and installing cameras, but we can use your help.

These people live with others who may disagree with their actions. Maybe you know someone who might have played a role in these senseless acts. If you live across the street from a park or drive by one, take a minute to see if you observe devious behavior.

The more people in parks, the more it reduces the likelihood of vandalism. If you see anything suspicious, call the Police Department at 715-387-4394. If you see vandalism, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 715-384-4642.

The sooner we can end this behavior, the sooner we can all enjoy the parks. Again, your awareness is very important to preserving our parks and community! Thank you for your help!

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.