Vandalism at Ferguson parks could delay park improvements

FERGUSON, Mo. (KMOV) -Ferguson’s Parks and Recreation Department says a couple of it’s parks have been vandalized in the past week.

Pictures posted on the parks and rec’s Facebook page shows park tables flipped over, restroom dividers ripped from walls and cinder block walls wrecked.

“It just…. it just… it should not be tolerated,” said Fennis Brown. “And next it’s your cars and the rest of your belongings out here

Fennis Brown was left almost speechless after hearing about damage done to the January-Wabash Park in Ferguson. Brown comes to the park from time to time with his grandson.

In the past week, Ferguson’s Parks and Recreation’s Director David Musgrave said vandals hit three times at Ferguson parks.

“Vandalism is something we fight on a weekly basis in parks,” Musgrave wrote on Facebook. “It is not new or exclusive to Ferguson. However, the extent of these events in particular is frustrating.

Musgrave told First Alert Four the cost of this unexpected damage will be pricey but couldn’t give a dollar amount. He did say the Ferguson will have to absorb the repair costs from somewhere else – meaning other park improvements will be pushed back a year.

“To go into a bathroom and do something like that, “I can’t understand what makes you want to go into a bathroom and tear it up,” said Brown.

This isn’t the first time problems popped up at January-Wabash Park.

First Alert Four reported back in May that 9 juveniles were taken in custody after a shootout at the swimming pool area of the January-Wabash, forcing park leaders to change pool policy.

“Sad because we got a lot of young people out here doing things they shouldn’t be doing,” said Paul Cannon Sr.

Musgrave says he knows they may never find the young people who did this, but he hopes parents talk to their kids about damaging property.

Every time we as a community get something, it’s taken away from us because of things like this,” said Brown.

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