Cr Andrew Robinson rebukes ‘reprehensible’ criminals as Currajong targeted again

Fed-up ratepayers are urging their representatives to do more about vehicular vandals, warning it’s only a matter of time before someone is hurt, or killed.

Hoons drove through bollards and tore up Currajong Park

Frustrated residents in Currajong are calling for more action to be taken as their community continues to be targeted relentlessly by criminals and vandals.

Two weeks ago, a vehicle crashed through the bollards that surround the park, tearing up the lawn and making it unsafe for anyone to use.

Local resident Rodney Williamson said the incident is a regular occurrence.

“Most people are saying that the ease with which people can access the park in vehicles attracts that activity to the area,” he said.

“Obviously, the high rate of crime with stolen vehicles in the area is a contributing factor I guess.”

With a school located close by, residents believe it is only a matter of time before someone gets hurt or killed during the busiest hours of the day.

“Between 8 a.m and 9 a.m and 2:30 p.m and 3:30 p.m there’s heavy traffic around with parents picking up and dropping off their kids. On occasions we have some of these vehicles going through this neighborhood at those times as well,” Mr Williamson said.

Resident Rod Williamson says damage to Currajong Park is a regular occurance.

“They don’t have any regard, the stolen vehicles that is, for oncoming traffic, children or pedestrians, so I think it is fair to say that someone will get hurt.”

Currajong sits in Division Eight, where Councillor Andrew Robinson currently sits after being voted in at the last local government election.

Mr Williamson went along to a meeting that Councillor Robinson held in the park with residents about the vandalism, but left with the impression that it wasn’t his representative’s main priority.

“In terms of of securing the park from vehicles, he basically said it wasn’t his priority because his priority was issues in recent times with sewage backing up through the area,” Mr Williamson said

“Which is a thing, there is sewage backing up when we have a lot of downpours, but that’s a maintenance type of issue - not a public safety issue.”

Cr Robinson said he is concerned with the ongoing hooning and the vandalism of the city’s parks and open spaces.

“It is reprehensible that the actions of a few individuals are putting lives at risk for fleeting gratification,” he said.

Hoons drove through bollards and tore up Currajong Park

“Money that Council could have used to upgrade new facilities or bring new infrastructure to Townsville is now being diverted to repair or replace property damaged by these juvenile delinquents.”

To stop parks and sporting facilities from being vandalised across the city, council has previously put boulders around parks, along with other preventative measures.

“Council is doing its part, we have placed preventative boulders around parks that are frequently used, we have conducted safety audits and we have safety officers patrolling the city,” Cr Robinson said.

“But this doesn’t address the root cause of the problem, boulders around a park will simply shift the problem to another area.”

Hoons drove through bollards and tore up Currajong Park

Member for Townsville Adam Baillie is urging the council to install deterrents at Currajong Park to avoid further vandalism and threw his support behind police catching those responsible.

“I have full confidence that the hard-working Townsville police will track down those responsible, and if they are found to be juveniles, they will face the Crisafulli Government’s Adult Crime, Adult Time laws and penalties,” Mr Baillie said.

“The former Labor Government allowed a generation of hardcore repeat offenders to run riot through Townsville for a decade, but with Adult Crime, Adult Time, we are taking steps to restore community safety.”

Originally published as Cr Andrew Robinson rebukes ‘reprehensible’ criminals as Currajong targeted again