New playground equipment in Amherst, N.S., has been been repeatedly and deliberately sabotaged, a caretaker for Lions Park says.

Rubin Millard, chairman of a committee that oversees the park, said bolts have been removed and loosened from safety railings and a parent-and-tot swing, and broken glass shards have been buried under the slide.

"It's almost like somebody is targeting the younger kids," he said.

He says officials have had to replace screws on a swing meant for toddlers and parents to share three times. Someone also removed the bottom safety bolts from the guard railing of a large play structure at the park on several occasions.

Millard said the park's caretakers are "dumbfounded" at how the bolts are being loosened, as it requires a special tool.

Jagged edges of glass

Glass shards up to 10 centimetres long have been found under swings and slides.

"Sometimes it's a broken beer bottle, sometimes it's a jagged edge of glass that's stuck right up," Millard said.

"We know whoever is doing it is doing it deliberately, because you don't stick jagged edges of glass right in and cover it over with pea gravel so that some kid comes off a slide and ends up with that slicing their leg or whatever."

There have been no reported injuries at the playground due to the tampered equipment.

Daily checks at playground

Millard says caretakers of the children's playground are doing all they can to keep the equipment safe. He's been driving up from Oxford every one or two days to check in on the playground and fix anything that's been tampered with.

Millard called the Amherst Police Department last week to let them know about the vandalism.

Dwayne Pike, deputy chief for the department, says police have since been monitoring the park, conducting day and nighttime checks.

'This is not a joke': police

Police have also been monitoring to ensure the playground is safe for use and that equipment and grounds have not been tampered with. They put out a news release this week to encourage parents to do the same.



"Sadly somebody might think it's a prank, but it is something that we take very seriously," said Pike. "This is not a joke. This is not funny. This is something where a child could get very seriously hurt."

Pike says while damage to playground equipment is not unusual, police in Amherst have received no other reports of vandalized playground equipment.

Park vandalism on the rise this summer

Bill Schurman, director of recreation for the Town of Amherst, says he's seen an increase in park vandalism this season compared to last summer. Graffiti, overturned garbage bins, damage to washrooms and peeling paint off of picnic tables has occurred.

"It's one of those darn chicken and egg situations — when the parks get used more [and] more people are out, then obviously you're subjecting yourself sometimes to a little bit more malicious behaviour," said Schurman.

He said the tampering has been unique to the Lions Park.