ASHLAND - Vandals used spray paint to write vulgarities around Eureka Park over the weekend, just a few weeks after another park was vandalized in the borough.
Police Chief Adam J. Bernodin Jr. was at the park Monday morning after starting his shift, inspecting the vandalism and taking photos.
"We haven't had anything like this in months," Bernodin said. "Everything is under investigation as we look for leads. It looks like somebody just went around over the weekend with three different colors (black, white and red)."
Bernodin said the vandalism was discovered by someone walking through the park who then called police. The painted words and some images were found on the bandstand, the pad in front of the stage, a basketball court and a picnic table in the pavilion. There was no damage to the new recreation equipment.
As the work day started Monday, borough employees were sent to the park to begin removing the paint or covering it. Borough employee Michael McIntyre painted over words on the bandstand stage, then used driveway sealer on the asphalt pad in front of the stage to hide the obscenities.
"The good thing is that at least it's coming off or it's been repainted and there isn't any structural damage," Bernodin said. "For someone to do that to a park that was just fixed up is a shame. If we could just find who did it."
A few weeks ago, Oakland Park at the east end of the borough was also vandalized with spray paint. Bernodin said the same colors were used, which could indicate it was the same vandals.
Bernodin added that a private garage at 1631 Centre St. was also vandalized with spray paint Saturday or Sunday. The garage is only a few blocks from Eureka Park.
"It's the same kind of spray painting and colors," Bernodin said.
As McIntyre continued his work Monday, Ashland Borough Council President Frederick Spieles stopped at the park, and Schuylkill Area Community Foundation board President Gary Glessner was placing signs for an upcoming recreation program. Glessner is also a member of the Ashland Downtown Inc. board and its former president.
"It's a shame but you don't know how to curb it," Spieles said. "We can get the police to patrol more often but (vandals) can hide until the police leave."
Spieles said the police will make more frequent visits to the parks. He said installing security cameras would also help prevent vandalism.
"I have to find out how advanced we are in getting a camera for each of the parks," Spieles said.
Glessner said the borough is expected to submit an application to the Schuylkill Area Community Foundation for a grant for security cameras in Eureka, Higher Up, Willow and Oakland parks, and a camera at the Mother's Memorial.
Bernodin hopes that when security cameras are installed and the police department moves into its new station at Borough Hall when the work is completed, a security monitoring system will be placed so the cameras can be monitored for illegal activity.
Until that time, Spieles said police will increase their patrols in the public parks.
Anyone who has information on the vandalism incidents is asked to call Bernodin at the police station at 570-875-2600 or through the Schuylkill County Communications Center's non-emergency line at 570-462-1991.