City Of Tampa Launches "Love Your Park" Campaign In Response To Increased Vandalism

TAMPA, Fla. – The City of Tampa is launching a new “Love Your Park” Campaign in response to an increased number of vandalisms in city parks.

These incidents cost taxpayers thousands of dollars and take away resources from regularly scheduled maintenance projects in Tampa Parks and Recreation facilities.

Since March, right before Spring Break, the City of Tampa Facilities team has responded to more than a dozen incidents of recent vandalism in park facilities, including damaged restrooms, graffiti, and purposefully set fires.

Highland Pines Park: Vandals set multiple fires inside the restroom facilities, burning toilet paper and paper towels. City of Tampa Facilities also responded to graffiti inside. The price to taxpayers to remove the graffiti and repair the damage was around $5,500 for this one act alone. . — ***Highland Pines Park:*** Vandals set multiple fires inside the restroom facilities, burning toilet paper and paper towels. City of Tampa Facilities also responded to graffiti inside. The price to taxpayers to remove the graffiti and repair the damage was around $5,500 for this one act alone.

“Every time our facilities team responds to vandalism at a city park or facility, it diverts time, money and resources from other parks that need our help,” said Adriana Colina, Director of Logistics & Asset Management for the City of Tampa. “From mending fences damaged by weather, to giving a facility a fresh coat of paint, every dollar matters. We don’t want unnecessary vandalism to take away from that.”

“We want our community to have a sense of pride in our award-winning Parks & Recreation programs and facilities,” said Sherisha Hills, Director of Tampa Parks & Recreation. “When we have graffiti and other unnecessary damage, it makes it much harder for the city to provide the high level of customer service that our community expects and deserves.”

The “Love Your Park” campaign focuses on showing pride in our parks and deterring vandalism by activating community partners and encouraging neighbors to be our eyes and ears.

Also in the news: A New Florida Park To Be Named After Governor DeSantis

Printed materials will be available inside various city facilities and recreation centers explaining the best ways to prevent and report vandalism. The City of Tampa’s Community Engagement & Partnerships Team will also help raise awareness about the issue with neighborhood associations across the city.

Foster Park: Vandals set the restroom on fire in addition to breaking the mirrors, soap and toilet paper dispensers. — ***Foster Park:*** *Vandals set the restroom on fire in addition to breaking the mirrors, soap and toilet paper dispensers.*

“While we do our best to patrol our parks facilities, we can’t always be there to prevent vandalism, and we rely on our community to be our eyes and ears,” said Major Eric DeFelice of the Tampa Police Department. “Vandalism is a crime. If you choose to vandalize a Tampa Parks & Recreation facility, or commit any other act of vandalism, our detectives will find you, and you will be charged with the crime. “

Tampa’s Parks & Recreation team remains committed to providing the highest level of service to the community and to Mayor Jane Castor’s Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow Initiative.

Also in the news: Florida Ag Commissioner Fried Calls On DeSantis For “Gun Violence Prevention Reform”

To report vandalism, or if you see vandalism happening in a city park or facility, please contact the Tampa Police Department’s non-emergency line at 813-231-6130.

Visit Tampafp.com for Politics, Tampa Area Local News, Sports, and National Headlines. Support journalism by clicking here to our GiveSendGo or sign up for our free newsl etter by clicking here.

Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook Here Or Twitter Here.

Tampa Free Press

City Of Tampa Launches “Love Your Park” Campaign In Response To Increased Vandalism