By ALESHA CAPONE
VANDALS continuously damaging sports facilities at a Deer Park reserve have cost Brimbank ratepayers $10,000 in repairs.
Recently Star received a call from concerned Deer Park resident Jon (who requested his surname be withheld), who said the cricket practice cages near Sassella Park have been repeatedly wrecked by unknown offenders.
When Star visited the park, more than 20 metal poles – which support the cage’s roofs and walls – were lying on the ground, torn down by vandals.
The cricket cages are located at Robert Bruce Reserve, off Gould St, next to Sassella Park.
Brimbank City Council’s director of infrastructure and environment, Paul Younis, said the cricket cages have been damaged multiple times across the past year.
“Unfortunately there has been a spate of vandalism which has caused damage to the cricket nets at Robert Bruce Reserve, requiring repairs on six occasions over the last 12 months, costing a total of approximately $10,000,” he said.
Jon said possibly youths at the nearby skate park were causing the vandalism.
“As a local resident I get annoyed when someone does that to facilities available for the community, they should be kept in good condition for the community,” he said.
“I think I’m speaking on behalf of everyone in the area, because everyone likes to have a neat, clean park.”
When Star visited the reserve, a dog walker said she had seen youths setting fires at the park and children using a storage container – positioned near the cricket cages – to climb on top of them and jump until all the metal poles fell down.
Mr Younis said the council last undertook repairs on the cricket nets in December and was looking to relocate the storage container “in order to try to reduce future vandalism”.
