Yarra Ranges Shire’s Russell Jackson takes pride in his work with the shire’s parks. “You just can’t work out what makes people do this sort of thing,” he said.By Kath Gannaway
VANDALISM in Queen’s Park, Healesville, over the past month has cost Yarra Ranges ratepayers many thousands of dollars.
The toilets were closed for more than two weeks and $12,000 has now been spent installing purpose-made steel fittings after vandals went on a four-day smashing spree earlier in the month.
On Tuesday last week, less than 24 hours after they were reopened, vandals struck the toilet block again kicking out the timber facade at one end of the building.
Healesville police are also investigating two incidents of damage and theft at the nearby Healesville outdoor pool.
Senior Constable Jason Van Veen told the Mail bolt cutters were used to cut four large sections out of the chain-mesh fence on 30 November. The offenders then broke into the kiosk, damaging the shutters, and stole boxes of confectionery and chips.
In a second break-in the fence was cut again and equipment was thrown into the pool.
The extent of the damage to the toilets has shocked even Russell Jackson, the Yarra Ranges officer whose job it is to pick up the pieces and try to ensure residents and visitors have the services they need.
Having worked in the Lilydale and Yarra Ranges shires for more than 30 years, Mr Jackson has seen it all before, but he says he was dumfounded when he heard of the latest attack on the toilet block.
“It is just so frustrating,” he said.
“When I was told there was more damage, I thought to myself, what more could they have done?
“The sad thing about this is that everyone else misses out. We would like to put covers on the barbecues and there are a lot of improvements we have in mind for the park, but, instead, the money has to be spent on this sort of thing.
“It’s wrong.”
Mr Jackson said that in the past two months Healesville had accounted for 80 per cent of vandalism to toilets throughout the shire.
