Dog park gets cut up

RATEPAYERS will be footing the bill created by the rider or riders cutting up post flood grass in the Te Kuiti dog park and other areas along the esplanade.

The dog park vandal(s) cut the padlock and tore up the paddock, leaving tracks in a clearly defined circuit around the park and through the redwoods.

It will cost a lot for the council to reinstate the park, Waitomo District council infrastructure services manager Shyamal Ram said.

“When the weather is suitable, we will use the mower deck with a roller to reinstate the ground.  It will be seeded afterwards,” he said.

“Such vandalism is growing and costs the council a lot to reinstate. This diverts our resources from higher priority flood related works.”

If anyone sees it happening, they are asked to report it to the police, and then the district council.

The padlock to the dog park has been cut several times for riders to gain entry, Shyamal said.

“We have now replaced it with a bigger, heavy-duty padlock.”