Bryan Lawler, superintendent of the Haleyville Sports Complex, left, and Haleyville Mayor Ken Sunseri view a portion of the damage at the playhouse in the healing zone. The playhouse contains a sensory area for children.
HALEYVILLE - The healing zone park space at the Haleyville Sports Complex is now in need of its own healing after being apparently targeted by vandals.
In fact, the vandalism at the sensory area of the children’s portion of the park space is just a part of extensive vandalism at the sports complex that has been ongoing over a period of time, according to Bryan Lawler, sports complex superintendent.
“It’s just a different week. There is something that they tear up,” Lawler stated. “You come by and fix it. They just tear it up again the next week.”
About two weeks after the sensory area of the park was developed last fall, the vandalism began, Lawler said.
The sensory area is a small playhouse complete with touch features on the inside wall, such as boards, knobs in the shapes of flowers to be turned, even some outdated computer keyboards and remotes placed on the wall, where buttons can be mashed or pressed.
Vandals, however, have done far more than press and mash the buttons. They have broken off pieces of wood, as well as torn knobs and other gadgets from the interior wall, removed flowers from window boxes, smashed the mailbox outside the house and left debris and pieces of objects they smashed in the area of the sensory zone.
“They keep on taking them (the flowers in the window boxes) out and leaving them lying around on the ground,” Lawler stated.
Concerning sensory devices and knobs, Lawler added, “They pull them out and take them.
“It’s the kids,” Lawler stated. “The parents are not supervising the kids. Parents need to pay attention to what the kids are doing. It’s torn up so other kids can’t enjoy it.”
Mayor Ken Sunseri was on site with police, as well as park and city employees Wednesday, March 26, surveying the damage and making efforts to get city employees to order parts to replace those damaged or destroyed.
“This was a zone for children who have autism. For somebody to destroy it and do harm to it, there’s no reason for that,” Sunseri emphasized.
“We’re disappointed. (We) have spent numerous hours out here building this and making it a showplace for our children. It’s sad that we have to put up with vandalism,” Sunseri pointed out.
“Anybody that is caught vandalizing will be prosecuted, regardless of their age,” Sunseri added.
Those who may see suspicious activity or vandalism at the sports complex, healing zone or any city property, are urged to contact the Haleyville Police Department at (205) 486-5201.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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