The Town of Fort Smith has been forced to close its popular skate park after vandals struck.
The incident occurred mere weeks after the site was renovated by a team of local volunteers.
"It's an older skate park," said Fort Smith's director of community services Emily Colucci. "Earlier this year, we had volunteers and business owners within the community donate their time, their money and their experience to actually fixing up the skate park. They put a lot into it.
"The sides of the skate park had been enclosed as part of the repairs. Within two weeks, some folks decided to rip down the enclosed sides."
The vandalism was severe enough that it created safety risks, and Colucci and her colleagues had no choice but to close it.
"It's got jagged edges, and it's a hazard," she said. "The last thing I want to see is somebody getting hurt when it could have prevented."
Colucci isn't sure what would compel somebody to wilfully damage a facility that is enjoyed by so many of their neighbours SA国际影视传媒� particularly children and young people.
"You try to rationalize it," she said. "I don't know what's going through someone's head and what they're thinking in that moment. Maybe they're really not [thinking], but it's unfortunate to see the results of their actions having an impact on people who really do enjoy being at that facility."
It's not the first time Fort Smith has experienced this kind of vandalism.
"Sadly, we see this kind of thing frequently enough," said Colucci. "I think everywhere does.
"I feel like I put my mom voice on, but I'm not even mad anymore, I'm just disappointed."
Colucci and her team intend to repair the skate park so that it can continue to be enjoyed by residents, but the repairs are unlikely to be completed before the facility would ordinarily close for the winter, meaning local skaters will probably have to wait until spring to get back on the half-pipe.
"We're definitely planning on fixing it," she said. "I met with the director of municipal services late last week so we could assess the damage and then have a game plan for how we're going to fix it.
"It may remain closed for the rest of this season and then reopen in the spring."
She mentioned that there's a possibility cameras will be installed at the park, which may encourage trouble-makers to think twice.
"Cameras, they serve a purpose SA国际影视传媒� they absolutely do SA国际影视传媒� but they're not the answer to people taking accountability for their own behaviour," Colucci said. "I think there's just so many reasons why people might kind of lash out in this way. I think supporting any sort of social program, supporting recreational programs, to give people constructive things to do in their communities, that's at least a starting point."
