Vandals Target Scott Park

Vandals damaged the light fixtures inside three Scott Park pavilions a week after a soda vending machine was turned on its side.

A Scott Township police officer on patrol Sunday night noticed some of the lights at the lower pavilions weren’t working and found many of them shattered or ripped from the roofs.

“We’ve been making extra checks and the officer went up there during his regular patrols and saw what happened.” Scott police Sgt. Al Ballo said.

The affected shelters were the Chestnut, Walnut and Butternut pavilions. Township Manager Denise Fitzgerald described the damage is “nominal” and will not be turned into the municipality’s insurance company.

“We are asking that the police take a couple extra rides up there,” Fitzgerald said. “This is the time of year that things like this normally happen.”

The vending machine near the tennis courts was found toppled over last week.
Ballo said they have increased patrols, but there is only so much police can do to protect the park from troublemakers. He said the police department is hoping to eventually install security cameras at the park to deter vandalism.

“But it depends on funding, which is obviously tight right now,” Ballo said.