news-record.com

A vandal took aim on Summerfield Community Park Aug. 20, shooting the park's entrance sign with a paint ball gun.

Park maintenance worker George Holub said that he found a white paint ball shot on the sign around mid-morning. It took about a half-hour to remove the paint with soap and water.

"Any time you have something new that's a novelty and teens see it, they have to mess with it," Holub said.

Paint ball shots were also found in July on I-beams on the new shelter in the middle of the park's playground. Since opening last September, the park has endured several acts of vandalism, including cut locks and the removal of large screws from playground equipment.

The town's Parks and Recreation Committee has discussed installing surveillance equipment, but Mayor Mark Brown said such a move wouldn't be cost effective.

"Based on my experience in law enforcement and what we've had so far, I would not be willing to spend money at this point," said Brown, who is retired from the Guilford County Sheriff's Office.

"I think the damage we have had has not been that bad. The cost of surveillance and the time to review things is not that good in my opinion."

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7157 or rseals@news-record.com