Fixing damage caused by “reckless” driving on a Tasman reserve will cost ratepayers thousands to fix.
People driving motorbikes, quad bikes and four-wheel drives bypassed the bollards at the Appleby Bridge Reserve near Richmond and tore up the grass, crushed plantings, and vandalised signs.
The cost of fixing the damage will cost about $10,000 and will likely result in the deferral of other reserve projects, or reducing levels of service such as litter bin collection, due to tight budgets.
“This is a total disregard for the public who enjoy these community spaces,” said Richard Hilton, Tasman District Council’s team leader for reserves operations.
Vandalism in council reserves is often perceived as “a bit of fun” at the time, he said.
“The damage is more mindless indifference, than focused on damaging council and community assets.”
Police have contacted the alleged offenders and while some compensation may be received, the council never recovers the full value of the repairs, Hilton said.
“The other issue is the general public are wary and they avoid these reserves, so in turn this means the reserve is potential is lost to the wider community because they give up on it due to the damage,” Hilton said.
While repairs are being undertaken at the Apple Bridge Reserve, council staff are also considering prevention measures, with bollards with steel wire being installed, additional plantings to reduce the open space that attracts vehicle damage, and increased signage.
The Appleby Bridge Reserve has likely received the most damage out of Tasman reserves over the last year, with incidents increasing there over the last 18 months.
Other rural reserves with passive open spaces have also been magnates for vandalism, such as the Busch, Wai-iti, and L.E.H Baigent Reserves.
While damage continue to climb at Appleby Bridge Reserve, it appears to be on the decline at Busch Reserve.
“Some of this is related to measures we have put in place to stop the damage, catching the culprits and police intervention, but also people move on — the activity stops.”
Tearing up reserves isn’t the only form of antisocial behaviour being levelled at the council, with reserves staff and contractors also sometimes having to stop their work because of “reckless” actions and conflict from members of the public, Hilton said.
The damage at Appleby Bridge Reserve comes as Nelson’s Monaco Reserve also suffered vehicle damage last week.
Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air