Repeated vandalism forces Providence officials to act

PROVIDENCE — Fed up of its beloved parks being sprayed with graffiti week after week, the Cache County community of Providence is trying to put a stop to it by installing surveillance cameras.

“This way we can focus eyes and attention to look again and hopefully catch people who are involved in this kind of thing,” said Megan McCuistion, the city’s spokesperson and treasurer.

Last year, the city’s two popular parks, Von Baer Park and Zollinger Park, were targeted by vandals spray-painted with images, messages and numbers. In recent months, the markings have increased in number and have appeared along city streets.

“They get bathrooms and buildings,” McCuistion said. “Last year we had damage to the bathroom fixtures that needed to be repaired.”

The exact cost of the repairs is not yet known, but Shane Hansen, the city’s building maintenance director, said city workers spent countless hours repairing the damage, easily costing taxpayers thousands of dollars.

“As you can see, it’s pretty tough. I used half a can that cost $15,” Hansen said while scrubbing paint off one of the sheds in Von Baer Park on Tuesday. “It’s just annoying to have to deal with it two or three times a week.”

Hansen said Von Baer Park has been attacked twice in the past week and a half — in broad daylight. He said a crew member spent four hours Monday scrubbing paint off the inside of a bathroom.

“We had black paint, we had yellow paint, but all the corresponding symbols and numbers,” he said while showing KSL TV which buildings were damaged. “We have a lot of other things we could be using our time on that would benefit the city other than cleaning up graffiti.”

“Our building department is very thorough and responsive, but they have a limited number of people and they’re trying to take care of everything in the entire city of Providence,” McCuistion said. “There are only a limited number of them, and the more they add, the harder their job becomes.”

McCuistion said the city of Providence has approved nearly $150,000 to install security cameras in parks across the city. She said once the cameras are installed, they will be monitored and anyone caught vandalizing city property will likely face charges.

“There are a lot of other things you can do better with your time that don’t destroy other people’s property,” McCuistion said. “It affects more people than they probably realize and think about right now.”

Anyone with information regarding the vandalism is asked to contact the Cache County Sheriff’s Office at 435-755-1000 and reference case reference 24-C5579.