A popular slide at the children’s playground in Pukekura Park requires an $8,000 repair following a recent fire, adding to a sharp rise in vandalism across New Plymouth.
New Plymouth District Council reported that graffiti and vandalism have escalated significantly, placing a heavy financial strain on local resources.
Council Parks and Open Spaces Manager Conrad Pattison confirmed the extent of the issue in an official media release.
"We've spent about $90,000 on graffiti clean-up so far this financial year, with a month still to go," Mr Pattison said. "That's almost double our $50,000 budget and doesn't even include the cost of staff time."
The council continues to monitor public spaces and urges community members to report any suspicious behaviour or property damage immediately to help protect local parks.
