Treadwell Sports Fields Hit With More Turf Vandalism

By Andrew Gorosko

For the second time in five months, the Treadwell Park athletic fields have received heavy turf damage in a vandalism attack.

Sometime during the night of Monday, August 18, or early morning of Tuesday, August 19, someone drove a vehicle on the playing fields at the park on Philo Curtis Road in Sandy Hook, extensively damaging the turf there in a case of first-degree criminal mischief. The charge is a felony. Repair costs are estimated at $5,500. Police Patrol Officer Jason Flynn is investigating.

The vehicle or vehicles used in the incident left hundreds, if not thousands, of feet of tires marks and tire ruts across the baseball/softball field and the adjacent soccer field. The damaged fields are those that are nearest to Philo Curtis Road. The fields are situated at the bottom of a basin that is bordered by steep slopes.

Based on evidence at the scene, the vandal repeatedly drove the vehicle on the steep slopes that lie between the playing fields and the park pavilion.

The vehicle left broadly curving tire marks across the fields, in some cases forming diamond-shaped patterns at places where the tire marks intersected. Chunks of thrown soil and sod were scattered in areas where the vehicle made tight turns.

In early April, police arrested Scott Carnrick, 18, of 20 Mountain Laurel Lane on a charge of first-degree criminal mischief for allegedly using a minivan to do about $35,000 worth of turf damage to the same athletic fields. The April damage was discovered after Carnrick called for a tow truck after having become stuck in the soft turf.

The April turf vandalism resulted in a four-month turf restoration project. Sports were played elsewhere while the fields were under repair.

In October 2000, someone burned down a new tots playground at Treadwell Park, causing $17,000 in damage. No one has ever been charged for setting fire to that playground, which has been rebuilt.

Fresh Damage

Town officials surveyed the fresh damage at the park on Tuesday morning.

Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Lawrence Haskel said, “It’s one person who ruins something that everybody should be able to use.”

The town pays a high price when its playing fields are vandalized, he said.

“Why would people want to go and do this?” Mr Haskel asked, shaking his head as he surveyed the turf damage.

Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian said Tuesday afternoon, “We’re just all very angry,” noting the recent completion of the field restoration project.

On Tuesday, park workers had already started repairing the damage to the baseball/softball field to prepare it for a game that evening, she said.

Ms Kasbarian said the turf damage done this week was much less severe than that done last April, when the field was wet and fragile. Conditions are much drier now, she said.

Ms Kasbarian said Wednesday that a scheduled softball game was played on the damaged field Tuesday evening. Workers will be repairing the soccer field in preparation for the first game of the season in early September, she said. The soccer field also is used for lacrosse and field hockey.

The $5,500 estimated athletic field repair bill represents the cost of town labor, materials, and equipment rental, she said.

Ms Kasbarian said a $500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who damaged the fields this week. The reward is being posted by a private individual, she said.

“I’m hoping that someone will turn this person in. Hopefully, we can stop this senseless destruction,” she said.

The town has ordered a new gate for the Philo Curtis Road entrance to the park, she said. Although there had been a gate there in the past, that entrance currently has no gate.

It would be very expensive to install fencing around the perimeter of the playing fields to secure them, but it may be necessary, Ms Kasbarian said.

The park has a recurring problem with people illegally driving all-terrain vehicles there, Ms Kasbarian noted.

Police are asking the public for help in learning who damaged the playing fields at the park this week. People with information on the vandalism are asked to contact police at 426-5841.