PARRY SOUND – A group of local vandals is ruining it for everybody.
An act of vandalism to the outdoor ice rink and a bathroom at Kinsmen Park means changes are coming for the popular community spot.
Peter Brown, director of public works with the Town of Parry Sound, said the damage to the facility was fairly extensive.
“They decided to smash what ice there was and then spread it all over the rest of the rink. That means we have to scrape it all off and start again even though it’s plainly signed ‘keep off the ice because we’re making ice.’ People are not reading it or they don’t really care,” Brown said.
The bathroom, which is open to the public, also suffered a long list of damages. The toilet was damaged, the toilet paper roll dispenser was ripped off the wall and the garbage container was pulled from its attachment.
As a result, the town will be ending its policy of keeping the bathrooms open for the use of the public.
“We leave the washrooms open because people use the park for tobogganing and walking, but I’m afraid that’s going to come to a quick end because we just can’t afford this type of vandalism,” said Brown.
The rink at Kinsmen Park has been beset by a number of problems this winter. There has been significant pressure from the community on the town to open the rink for public use. Nearby municipalities have had their outdoor rinks open for some time now.
In Parry Sound, the opening of the rink has been complicated both by the fluctuating temperatures of late, and the tendency of some residents to make use of the ice before it’s thick enough. In one incident, somebody jumped over the rink’s closed door and began skating while the crew was flooding the ice.
The rink is expected to be available for skating this week.