Children lose out as playgrounds vandalised

An Auckland community leader is calling for increased vigilance after recent vandalism at South Auckland playgrounds.

In a recent incident at Ngāti Ōtara Park, a user spotted vandals setting fire to a slide.

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board Chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia expressed disappointment over the recent damage to playgrounds.

He said young people were the first to be affected.

“I'm really disappointed.“

Apulu Reece Autagavaia, Chair of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board, has expressed disappointment over the damage to community playgrounds in South Auckland.

The first lot of people that lose out when this happens is our young people, our kids, our children, who won't be able to use some of these playgrounds until they're fixed.”

He said parents might also question the safety of these spaces, which could deter them from bringing their children to play.

Apulu says the financial burden for repairs falls on the community as ratepayers ultimately fund these efforts.

“Clearly, these people don’t see the value in these public spaces and feel like they can … destroy it all.”

He urged residents to report instances of vandalism while prioritising their safety.

“You don't need to go and confront [them]. But the sooner we get the proper agencies and police out to where the damage is happening, the sooner we can try and save it.”

Waimate Park in Ōtara slide has not been repaired and reiterates what Local Board Chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia says about young people being the ones who miss out. Photo / PMN News Mary Afemata

At the vandalised Ngāti Ōtara Park, Local Democracy Reporting spoke with community members.

An Ōtara resident and frequent park user, who wished to remain anonymous, said he witnessed school students damaging the park and setting fire to the slide two weeks ago.

“I [saw] a bunch of kids come onto the slide and start burning it,” he said.

In a separate incident, he saw people damaging the flying fox, but he had to intervene during the fire.

“I was the one that came to put it out.”

He informed workers at the nearby rugby club, who secured the area with duct tape.

"Just leave the parks alone. We just got it built ... it took ages to get approval for this park.

Ngāti Ōtara Park's slide was damaged in a fire started by school kids, who fled the scene; an Ōtara resident helped extinguish it. Photo / PMN News Mary Afemata

“If you are wagging, wag somewhere else [away] from the park."

Another park user was frustrated by waiting so long for a new park only to be ruined by vandals.

Apulu raised his concerns about whether there are adequate activities and facilities for young people to engage with positively.

“Have we got the right activities, sports activities, and facilities that our young people can feel engaged with? That’s only one response.

"There's a whole lot of socioeconomic pressures on people. I'm sure some of those kids might not feel safe at home. And so they are hanging out at playgrounds at all hours of the night."

The flying fox that Auckland Council repaired due to the black part being hacked off. Photo / PMN News Mary Afemata

Apulu mentioned the dilemma of choosing between the costs of repairing damage and installing CCTV cameras remained a concern.

While Hayman Park has CCTV, its presence has not deterred vandalism.

“In the meantime, the best way for us as a community is passive surveillance … having people doing other activities in the park can also be a form of surveillance."

If vandalism continues, Apulu says installing CCTV cameras in the parks might become necessary.

Cameras are being considered in other parks that are experiencing anti-social behaviour, he says.

"It's just unfortunate that we have to start looking at playgrounds to put in CCTVs."

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.