Petersburg Pilot -

Ongoing vandalism in the ball field is forcing Petersburg Parks and Rec Director Donnie Hayes to consider erecting a locked gate to block vehicle access to the area after hours.

Hayes said it appears a vehicle caused roughly $900 worth of damage last Saturday night or Sunday after spinning donuts, losing control and running into the ball field fence.

“It’s mangled,” Hayes said. “We’re finally at that point where we are all looking at gating off that parking lot because of the damage that continues to happen especially during the winter time.”

Several destroyed posts along with fencing material needs to be replaced after the vandalism.

“In the same time frame there was someone on the other side of the field who got stuck in a mud rut and kicked up dirt and mud all over a neighbor’s vehicle that was parked on the side of the blue field. The person who owns the vehicle has mud all over the side of their vehicle,” said Hayes.

Last July vandals bashed a rock into a porcelain sink in the restroom facility, forcing Hayes to lock the restrooms.

In January 2014, a vehicle ran over the fence in the younger kids’ field causing about $500 worth of damage.

In the past, vehicles have also driven onto the ice rink and muskeg behind the ball field, leaving ruts and other impressions in the land.

“This vandalism is pretty consistent over the past three or four years,” Hayes said. “We have to begin cutting down on the maintenance that is required on our facilities.”

Hayes said he’ll decide in the coming weeks whether or not to erect a locked gate.