THE playground at Pat O’Hara Reserve may be moved several hundred metres — costing $80,000 — because it’s plagued by vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
Bayswater council reckons the playground will be better near the Morley Sport and Recreation Centre and busy Wellington Road, where it’s better lit and busier.
It comes as rangers record 29 cases of graffiti, 13 of loitering, nine each of public drinking and vandalism and seven of anti-social behaviour in the past year in and around the playground. Police attended at least 11 incidents.
“Each incident or act of vandalism occurring in and around the playground area has resulted in equipment repairs and mechanical sand pit cleaning to remove glass and debris,” a council report states.
“Due to the amount of anti-social behaviour, on average the playground pit at Pat O’Hara Reserve is mechanically cleansed eight to 10 times per year at a cost of approximately $6000 annually. By comparison most other playground pits containing sand are generally hand raked and may require a mechanical cleanse once per year.”
by EMMIE DOWLING
Perth Voice Interactive 
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