Surveillance cameras may be coming to town park

WARWICK-People understand that kids will be kids. They will sometimes get into some mischief. But what has been done over a period of time to the facility at the Town Park on Union Corners Road has got the Town Board thinking of installing surveillance cameras to see what is going on when the park is closed n and more importantly n just who is doing it. The latest action at the park was when vandals overturned the vending machines near the snack stand. In addition to damaging the ice cream machine, the product inside was ruined because the kids ripped the machine from its electrical outlet, causing the ice cream to melt. The machine was three-quarters full at the time. Supervisor Michael Sweeton said that none of the vandalism done over the past few years has been terribly costly to the town. Instead, it is the idea of vandalism itself that motivates this board. "The vandalism is not tremendously costly to the town," Sweeton said. "It's just unnecessary vandalism and we are trying to stop it." Over the years, the bathrooms have been tampered with, as well as other vending machines. The Town Park is home to the town's soccer program. One of the fields there was torn up a few years ago by an ATV. Those responsible have never been identified. Sweeton is hoping to put an end to the vandalism as well as identify those who continue to ruin the town's property. "We plan on doing some land clearing behind where the bathrooms are," said Sweeton, after the Town Board approved a resolution to that effect. Right now there are woods on the perimeter of the fields, giving kids the perfect opportunity to run from the police when they arrive at the park. "Even when police are driving by the park, the gates are locked," said Sweeton. "By the time they get out of the car and unlock the gates, the vandals are long gone. Clearing the land behind the bathrooms will make things easier for our police department." He and the board are also contemplating installing video surveillance cameras to try and catch who is responsible. Sweeton made a point to say that the vandalism is not costing the town any more now than it did a little while ago. It is not on the rise, he said. It is a hit or miss thing, but it is annoying and unnecessary. "We have to do whatever we can to try to stop it," he concluded.