ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Nearly a dozen displays were vandalized in Rolling Meadows two months after the city unveiled a new StoryWalk project connecting its Community Center Park to the Rolling Meadows Library.
The StoryWalk path begins at Community Center Park, continues through South Salk Park and ends at the library.
Protective coverings of the permanent display were found shattered on Monday. Pages of the StoryWalk book were also cut out and garbage cans were thrown into the creek along the path.
“We’re beyond disappointed to see someone purposefully damage this new amenity we put here for the community to enjoy as they walked or biked the path,” Rolling Meadows Park District Executive Director Kevin Romejko said in a statement.
This isn’t the first case of vandalism either. The Rolling Meadows Park District has suffered thousands of dollars in damage in recent months.
On July 4, a lamp post was cracked and knocked over in Kimball Hill Park and the compressor on the roof of the West Meadows Ice Arena had been turned off, causing the rink to melt and closing the facility for a day. On August 30, sink and soap dispensers were ripped out of the wall of the men’s bathroom at Kimball Hill Park.
On September 26, a lamp post was cracked and knocked over a second time in Kimball Hill Park.
“We’ve had several conversations surrounding whether we should consider installing cameras throughout our parks, but with 156 acres of parkland, that’s not a viable solution logistically or financially,” Romejko said. “We know these incidents, while upsetting, are not a true reflection of our community and we’re counting on the public to keep us informed if they witness this type of destruction.”
Repairs to the StoryWalk will cost $500 and property damage over the last three months has totaled more than $6,000.
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