Community rally behind local Gold Coast soccer club after vandalism causing $5000 in damages
A community has come together to supports its local soccer club after they were hit by vandals during uncertain times, causing $5000 in damages.
Sun Community
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THE ORMEAU All Stars Soccer Club were devastated when vandalism left them with damages worth $5000, days before the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis.
In March the club was attacked by heartless vandals who smashed three of the four perspex players shelters at the club’s home ground, causing close to $5000 worth of damage.
To add insult to injury, the defacers also stole toilet paper rolls from the Council owned public toilet block adjacent to the All Stars car park and threw the paper all over the grounds.
Days later, the financial woes were made more uncertain when the upcoming season was postponed by Football Gold Coast due to COVID-19.
Local businesses Ray White Ormeau and McDonalds Ormeau put their hands into their pockets and helped cover the club’s costs.
Another local sign business, who has an employee who coaches a junior team at the club also pitched in new signs for the shelters.
The club’s operation officer Rob Mitchell said he couldn’t thank the businesses enough, particularly Ray White who also signed on as a major sponsor for the club despite the season possibly not going ahead.
“We are really thankful for everyone who helped out, especially the sponsors,” he said.
“For companies to reach out during COVID isn’t easy, so we do acknowledge their efforts.
“The bench shelters look really professional and all the players and the club are happy with how they’ve turned out.”
The new and improved shelters are now made from colourbond and Mr Mitchell said the players and team staff have noticed the difference since the upgrade in late August.
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“We’ve had them for a few weeks and the players and coaches have been able to stay out of the rain and heat, which I think they’re thankful for,” he said.
“They’re also the same colour as the team and it makes the place look better.”
When the incident occurred in March, sadly, a request for security cameras to cover the grounds was denied by Council several years ago which members say may have deterred the recent damages.
Committee member Belinda Scullino from Ormeau said “kids with nothing better to do” were the likely culprits who “attacked, hit or kicked” the shelters causing irreparable damage on Sunday, March 15.
Committee members Jody McLean and Richard O’Leary discovered the damage on Monday morning and had the devastating task of informing the rest of the committee and some 350 club members.
“The number one emotion was anger,” said Ms Scullino.
“It took the committee almost three years to have these player shelter installed for the use of our players and officials due to Council requirements and restrictions, so to have them damaged this way is devastating.
“The estimated cost to replace the perspex on three player shelters is $1000 to $1500 per shelter.
“As we will now need to replace the original product with one that will withstand further damage, we will be spending more than we had intended to spend on repairs.”
She said the committee was currently seeking alternative and more durable materials which would have to be paid for using Club funds.
“Unfortunately our insurance only covers the clubhouse so we would need to fundraise the money,” she said.
“We don’t believe there was malice against the Club, we believe it was just kids with nothing better to do.
“Our local police officer is one of our volunteer coaches so he is aware of what happened, and we will be making a report soon.”
The club has also been targeted with graffiti on the clubhouse walls but has never had any property damage to this extent.
“A couple of years ago the committee was wanting to have security cameras on our roof and doorways to capture incidents like this,” she said.
“Council said we could only have them covering doorways, we couldn’t have them facing the grounds.
“If we were allowed to have the cameras where we wanted them, perhaps they would have been a deterrent or at least given the police some evidence.”
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