Port Coquitlam parks are under siege by midnight marauders and a local resident thinks something should be done about it.
A month after a soccer field at Citadel middle school was torn up by a four-wheel drive vehicle, similar damage was done to a baseball diamond at Thompson Park, located at 1842 Morgan Ave., in PoCo.
"It's sickening what they've done," said Barrie Abbott, who was walking his dog on the weekend when he spotted the damage and reported it to the city.
He would like to see the city do more to stop vehicle access to all its parks and offer a reward for catching the vandal in the act.
"Something needs to be done," said Abbott, who said times have changed since the city could trust that its parks would stay safe.
City parks manager Todd Gross said immediate steps were taken to block vehicle access to Thompson Park when crews spotted the damage, which was probably done late Friday or early Saturday morning.
"Vandals broke through a chain gate and then proceeded to tear up the field with their vehicle. This site is completely fenced and thus this act of vandalism would have had to have been premeditated," Gross wrote in an email.
Repairing the ball field will take place during routine maintenance prior to April 2, when the ball season begins, Gross said, adding that the damage is relatively superficial and won't affect play. Crews are also putting up a stronger chain to block the access point.
But there won't be any rewards offered for catching the vandal. Instead, the RCMP should be called if someone sees a vehicle on the field. Gross wants PoCo residents to get involved in Vandal Watch, a community neighbourhood watch program, and report problems with school fields and parks. Information about Vandal Watch is available at www.vandalwatch.citysoup.ca.
Meanwhile, School District 43 has put more locks on an access gate to stop vehicles from getting onto the Citadel middle field and will find a way to stop cars from getting through to the back of the school property, which is located next to a Hydro right of way and near Hazel Trembath elementary.
