Arson at Big Finn playground continues park vandalism trend

King County asks residents to help safeguard community property

The toddler slide at King County's Big Finn Park in Kirkland was reduced to a blackened heap of melted plastic two weeks ago in the second incident of arson within the past year at the park.

Park users are not the only ones affected by this destruction. King County taxpayers will once again have to foot the bill to repair the damage. Replacing the scorched slide and three other damaged parts will likely cost $4,000 to $5,000.

Damage costs due to park vandalism have risen dramatically within the past two years. In 2005, more than $30,000 in taxpayer dollars were spent repairing property damage, a $10,000 increase from 2004. A total of 68 different sites were vandalized in 2005, a 50 percent increase from the year before. County park crews spent 431 labor hours to repair damages in 2005.

In some cases, vandalism did more than destroy public facilities -- it also inflicted long-term damage to natural resources and habitat.

"The public should be outraged by these petty crimes because eventually, we all have to pay for the damages done to our community property," said Bobbi Wallace, King County Parks Resource Section Manager. "Children and families should be able to come out to their parks and enjoy themselves. I can't imagine why anyone would want to destroy public property just for fun."

There are ways that residents can help defend parks, including King County programs such as Park Watch Patrols and the Park Ambassador Program, which are effective means of community property protection.

Park Watch Patrols are an expansion of a successful neighborhood watch program. Witnesses to vandalism can report the incident by calling 206-296-4232. Callers are asked to provide any relevant information that will be helpful in catching those responsible such as times, dates, places and vehicle license plate numbers.

The Park Ambassador Program is also staffed by local volunteers trained by King County. In exchange for free admission to park facilities and events, ambassadors patrol and monitor park grounds, reporting any misconduct they come across.

"Through organizing our watchful eyes, we can reduce the cost and loss of recreational amenities," said Wallace. "We will connect those who wish to help prevent this behavior with staff that truly are invested and care about the parks they manage. Vandalism will not be tolerated in the King County Parks. If vandals are caught we will pursue prosecution."

Penalties for vandalism can range from a simple misdemeanor to a Class B felony, with fines and jail time possible for severe cases.

To find our more about the Park Watch Patrols, call 206-296-4452. For more information or to get an application for the Park Ambassador Program, call the volunteer coordinator at 206-296-2990.