There was a lot of damage for Leisure Services to report on during their monthly presentation to the Planning Committee at City Hall.
In particular, Director of Leisure Services Bill Samborski had the unpleasant duty of outlining the extent of damage at Centennial Park and at the running track there last month due to a vehicle that had gotten into the park and caused major damage.
Pictures were presented of groove marks that had torn up the soccer field. As well, there was a noticeable rut on the running track caused by a rim with a blown tire.
But even those pictures didn’t capture the extent of the damage seen there.
“The pictures don’t do the ruts justice,” said Samborski.
The overall damage is estimated at around $27,000, according to Samborski; they continue to work with the insurance company on reimbursement.
“It’s heartbreaking to look at,” said Mayor Ryan Bater about the pictures.
Bater was concerned about how to prevent such an occurance in the future. He noted there were some “stumps” at the park to try and prevent people from driving onto the track, but there were also areas there without them.
The mayor wondered if there could be a way to “fortify” the park with further stumps to prevent vehicles from getting in there. City Manager Jim Puffalt said they would look into it.
Also, Samborski gave an update on damage seen elsewhere in the city: at the Blessing Box installed in Central Park.
That is a Canada 150 project by local student Natalya Shevchuk to provide items for the less-fortunate.
But just a few days after it was installed in May, the box was damaged.
There were lots of comments on social media about the damage that occurred at the Blessing Box, Samborski said, with people thinking that vandalism was the cause. But that wasn’t the case.
Instead, Samborski said, it was an older latch on the cabinet that had failed; the door then was blown open by the wind and the window was smashed.
Still, the public concern prompted local business K and K Glass to offer to repair the box for free. By that time, city staff had done repairs to the latch and the glass at the Blessing Box, but Samborski was heartened by the public’s reaction and offers to help.
There have been no further problems and Samborski noted the box continues to be well-received and well-stocked with items provided by local schools and the like.
“It seems to be working out so far in that location,” Samborski said.
