By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



The Gardendale Police Department is looking for the person or persons responsible for causing $2,000 in damages at a city park.

“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” said Gardendale Parks and Recreation Superintendent Stan Hogeland. “We have it [vandalism] fairly regularly at different places, but this is very extreme.”

Vandals struck the restrooms at the Kenneth A. Clemons Soccer Complex late Tuesday night. A police officer discovered the crime Wednesday morning at about 4 a.m., Hogeland said.

Using red spray paint, the vandals left vaguely cult-like graffiti on the walls of the mens and women’s restrooms. The suspects also knocked holes in the walls, busted light fixtures and splattered a five-gallon bucket of paint on the floor and walls. Red graffiti was also found on the outside of the facility.

Hogeland said the restroom facilities at the park have stayed open at all times of the day and night because of the popularity of the park complex. However, he said the severity of the vandalism will force the restrooms to be closed until the weather warms.

“Unfortunately, the people that do that kind of extensive damage wouldn’t have been stopped by a locked door,” he said. “If they’re [the doors] are kicked in, they’re extremely costly to repair. It puts us in a Catch-22 because do we lock them or leave them open?”.

Hogeland said vandals most recently destroyed an air conditioner unit at the girls softball park. He said the restrooms at the tennis courts on Moncrief Road are also vandalized about three to four times a year.

Gardendale Police Chief Mike Walker said there are no suspects in custody at this time though the vandalism is under investigation. He said vandalism cases are often hard to solve unless the perpetrators are caught in the act.

Walker said the public should be aware of anyone seen with spray paint or carrying spray paint in a backpack.

“They’re [the suspects] probably going to be teenagers or younger adults,” he said. “We’d appreciate any help from the public.”

Anyone with any information on the vandalism is asked to call the police department at 631-8787.