Diamond Point Park Vandalized
At : 4 p.m. on October 31, the Washington County Sheriff's Offi ce and the Hugo Fire Department responded to a call at Diamond Point Park, located on 145th Street just east of Goodview Avenue in the new Diamond Point East subdivision.
A fire had been started in a trash receptacle under the picnic shelter and had quickly spread to the seats of two picnic tables. Vandals had strewn toilet paper all over the immediate area and had also damaged three newly- planted trees.
Photo by Deb Barnes
The trash receptacle and two picnic tables were a total loss, and the picnic shelter received considerable damage from the fi re. Total damage, which included smoke damage, clean-up, the rental of new equipment and labor and the replacement of the lost items, exceeded $5,000.
Hugo city public works crews cleaned up the park the next day. Hugo Public Works Director Chris Petree stated that the damaged equipment will be repaired and replaced as soon as possible.
"It's saddening that a newly-completed park that has been so well received and utilized by the neighborhood can be damaged in this manner. If the vandals are caught, the city will prosecute to the fullest extent," said Petree.
A red Ford Taurus was spot- ted in the area by a witness dur- ing the time of the incident and police currently think that the vandals may have been minors.
"The vandalism appears to be of a local juvenile nature. We would encourage parents to talk with their kids to see what information they can find out since kids often tell other kids," Commander Timothy Tuthill, who oversees deputy patrol in the city of Hugo for the Wash- ington County Sheriff's Depart- ment, advised.
Anyone with information about this act of vandalism should contact the Washington County Sheriff's Department at 651-439-9381.