City of Edmonton staff are tallying the damage at Louise McKinney Riverfront Park where it appears a vehicle tore up the turf by spinning doughnuts on the grass.

"It's always frustrating when some idiot does something like this and creates cost for the public to have to go back and fix it," said Mayor Don Iveson.

The city believes a vehicle damaged to the turf at the park on Grierson Hill Road Wednesday night after a barrier to the park was left down.

River Valley Operations staff, who will repair the turf, are assessing the damage

Staff and contractors working in the area have since been ordered to leave the barrier up and locked from now on.

The city's River Valley Operations staff will be repairing the turf, but so far have no estimate on how much that will cost.

Anyone caught driving on the grass in city parks faces a $250 fine.

"I can only hope there are witnesses who will come forward — maybe got a license plate — and we can hold somebody responsible for this really foolish act," Iveson said.

Anyone who has information is being asked to call 311 or Edmonton police.

gareth.hampshire@cbc.ca

@cbcgareth