A tennis court net was burned during recent vandalism to Lions Park in Cumberland.
Submitted image
CUMBERLAND — Spray-paint scrawlings tarnish multiple park surfaces, including an outdoor mural barely a year old. An opening gapes in a net across a tennis court from where half of it was burned away. An electrical panel stands smashed and scorched.
This is just some of the recent vandalism at Lions Park on Cumberland’s east side, which town officials describe as some of the worst they’ve ever seen. Efforts continue to determine who’s responsible. The artist behind the mural wants them to know there’s far better ways to put their proclivity for graffiti to use.
The damage was discovered shortly after sunrise on Sunday, April 3. Ben Lipps, Cumberland town manager, called it the worst single night of vandalism the town has ever had. He and Cumberland Police Chief Suzanne Crooke-Woodland said the park has been a target for vandalism before, but never on this scale.
“We’ve never seen anything remotely close,” Lipps said.
There’s also damage to drinking fountains and park lighting along with fire damage to a playground slide. A bulletin board and pet waste stations were destroyed. Grills were ripped from the ground and damaged. Trail signage was stolen.
Early damage estimates are around $20,000, Lipps said, adding the town still needs to coordinate projections with playground equipment representatives, contractors, the muralist and others.
“The (town) council and I, and really all the staff and police are all very angry,” Lipps said. “All this stuff represents a large investment in the community and predominantly a large investment through tax dollars. Some of that’s also funded through community groups that care about the town, so it’s frustrating to see that spit on, really. We’re very angry and disappointed as a community I think.”
Crooke-Woodland said the police department’s day shift was dispatched to the park just after sunrise Sunday after a park visitor discovered the damage. She added live wires were on the ground upon officers’ arrival.
“It’s disappointing to all of us because we like to see the community have a safe place to go and enjoy themselves, and the town works really hard to provide these places and keep them nice, and to have somebody come and do such damage — it’s disheartening,” Crooke-Woodland said. “Because it hurts more than just the town, it hurts people who want a place like that to use and enjoy themselves at.”
Images from surveillance cameras at the park captured those believed to be responsible, and Crooke-Woodland said there are possibly four suspects. Media and social media attention drawn from the incident has garnered a lot of tips that have provided solid leads, she said.
“The community really stepped up on this one,” she said.
Crooke-Woodland added that the vandalism is believed to have occurred in less than two hours.
“They did a lot in a short period of time,” she said.
She added officers routinely go to Lions Park on their patrols, but were busy on runs during the time the vandalism occurred.
The police department is conducting interviews in the investigation and working closely with the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office, she continued.
She and Lipps said efforts were already underway to boost surveillance at the park and will continue.
“We’ll be continuing to beef up our security to help prevent it in the future,” Lipps said.
Town staff has completed most of what can initially be cleaned up, Lipps said, adding more will need to be done by contractors specializing in fields like plumbing and electrical work.
The mural was led by artist Koda Witsken of Hue Murals on an underpass beneath U.S. 40 along the Buck Creek Trail south of Lions Park. It was in the planning stages for about four years before Witsken and other muralists spent about three to four months completing the work last year. She said she hopes to have the damage fixed by mid-May before a coating that makes graffiti easy to remove is applied in the future.
“It is a partial reality of being a muralist,” Witsken said of outdoor art being a target for vandalism. “It does happen, but I think it’s important to try to turn these into chances for positive engagement with the community.”
When vandals are found, it’s a good opportunity to ensure they know that they damaged a work of art that required a substantial investment of money and effort, she said. But it’s also a chance to educate them on the sanctioned free-use walls available in Indianapolis, like the ones promoted by Indy Walls, as well as mural camps like the one she’s hosting for teens and young adults this summer.
“If they want to learn how to do better graffiti and get paid for it, they should come hang out with me,” she said.
Those with information on the vandalism to Lions Park in Cumberland on April 3 are encouraged to contact the Cumberland Metropolitan Police Department at 317-894-3525, the anonymous tip line at 317-894-6208, [email protected], or Indy Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS(8477).
