Whyalla City Council says vandalism remains a persistent problem in the local government area, with recent acts affecting one of Whyalla’s most popular landmarks.
Vandals most recently caused significant damage to bollards at Hummock Hill, leaving the Council and ratepayers to pay for the repair costs.
Over the last 12 months, the total cost of repairing damages is expected to be in excess of $50,000, including hundreds of hours of Council employee time spent repairing the damage.
Mayor, Phill Stone addressed the recent incident, stating, “It’s incredibly disappointing to see these repeated acts of vandalism. Hummock Hill is a place beloved by our community, and this behaviour is not only destructive but costly.
“Our depot staff are exploring the idea of installing CCTV cameras in the areas most affected by vandalism. We hope that increased surveillance will act as a deterrent and help us protect these important community spaces.
“However, the community needs to be aware that we can’t have cameras everywhere, so we need everyone to be our eyes and ears and report any illegal behaviour police to help reduce these incidents and the impact they’re having on our community and ratepayers.”
Council’s Depot and Maintenance teams are working to repair damage across several public spaces, including Hummock Hill, Norton Park, Russell Street Ladies Darts Club, Loveday Street, Main Street, and Jubilee Park, all of which have been impacted by vandalism.
“The ongoing vandalism across Whyalla is incredibly frustrating for our teams and the community,” said Manager of City Operations, Colin Sharp.
“Our staff work hard to maintain these spaces, and seeing their efforts undone by vandals is disheartening.
“Each incident not only disrupts the community’s enjoyment of these areas but also imposes a financial burden on our city. We’re committed to restoring the damaged sites as quickly as possible, but we urge everyone to help in preventing these acts by reporting any suspicious activity,” he said.
If you have any information about these incidents or witness any suspicious activity, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Your information can remain anonymous.
