Swings stolen, play units burnt down, slides covered in human excrement… this is just a selection of incidents of vandalism to playgrounds in the Dublin region in 2009.
Freedom of information requests from Dublinbynumbers show that three Local Authorities in Dublin and the Office of Public Works paid 121186 Euros to repair damage to playgrounds by vandals in 2009. This figure does not include vandalism to playgrounds in South Dublin County Council (who were only able to provide overall figures for maintenance of playgrounds) and excludes the cost incurred when the damage was not repaired or replaced (such as the complete destruction of the playground in O’Devaney Gardens).
Burnt Out Playground Unit at Phoenix Park Photograph Courtesy of the Office of Public Works
The three most expensive incidences of vandalism include the burning of a playground in Swords which cost Fingal County Council 40,000 Euros to repair, the burning of a play unit at the playground at the Visitors Centre in the Phoenix Park which cost the Office of Public Works 21222 Euros and the burning of a unit at the playground at St Anne’s Park, which cost Dublin City Council 19,950 Euros. In 2008 the burning of Belcamp Park in Priorswood cost 150,000 Euros to repair.
Full details of responses from local authorities and the OPW can be viewed here (Google Doc spreadsheet)
Here are responses from Local Authorities on Scribd.
Total Cost of Vandalism to Local Authorities and the OPW
| Cost of Vandalism to Playgrounds in 2009 | |
| Dun Laoghaire and Rathdown County Council | 15584 |
| Dublin City Council*** | 19950 |
| Office of Public Works^ | 23722.45 |
| Fingal County Council*^ | 61929.15 |
| South Dublin County Council**^^ | |
| total | 121185.6 |
Details of Damage to Playgrounds by Fingal County Council (all Dublin local authority and OPW details here)
| Date | Location of Playground | Details of Vandalism/Damage | Details of Repairs (if available) | Cost of Repairs (approx) |
| February 2009 | Bayside | Graffiti on multi unit see saw and swings | Removed by direct labour | 26 |
| March 2009 | Bayside | Graffiti on multi unit swings | Removed by direct labour | 26 |
| May 2009 | Bayside | Swing stolen | Replaced by contractor | 397.25 |
| Nov 2009 | Bayside | Bin insert burnt | Removed by direct labour | 6 |
| March 2009 | Seagrange | Graffiti on junior multi unit | Removed by direct labour | 13 |
| November 2009 | Seagrange | 3 Pencil Tops Cut | Repaired by contractor | 346.18 |
| Oct 2009 | Seagrange | Basket Swing Burnt | Removed | |
| Oct 2009 | Seagrange | Two Bins burned and vandalised | Removed by direct labour | 26 |
| Oct 2009 | Seagrange | Top of Pencil burnt | Repaired by direct labour | 13 |
| February 2009 | Howth | Graffiti on multi unit, junior multi unit, swings and bins | Removed by direct labour | 26 |
| March 2009 | Howth | Graffiti on multi unit and bins | Removed by direct labour | 13 |
| April 2009 | Howth | Graffiti on multi unit, swings and sail boat | Removed by direct labour | 26 |
| May 2009 | Howth | Graffiti on basket swing | Removed by direct labour | 13 |
| July 2009 | Howth | Pendant of sail boat stolen | Replaced | |
| July 2009 | Howth | Caps on multi unit stolen | Replaced | |
| November 2009 | Howth | Graffiti on multi unit and sail boat | Removed by direct labour | 13 |
| 11 July 2009 and 2 October 2009 | Malahide Demesne | Hags Unit | Repaired by direct labour | 52 |
| 9th May 2009 | Malahide Demesne | Tower Slide Cleaned by Gum Busters (Human Excrement) | Removed | 232.68 |
| 26th June 2009 | Seabury | Bins Burnt | ||
| 13th Aug 2009 | Seabury | Basket Swing vandalised | Not being replaced | |
| June 2009 | Seabury | Bins replaced | Replaced by direct labour | 1039 |
| June 2009 | Seabury | Wet Pour surface replaced | Replaced | 363.2 |
| June 2009 | Seabury | Gates and other equipments | Repaired | 3405 |
| Ongoing | Seabury | Graffiti | Removal by direct labour | 416 |
| Aug 2009 | St Annes | Seasaw | Repaired | 280.67 |
| St Annes | Replace Frogs, Cradle pod seats and chains | Replace | ||
| 2009 | Swords | Damage to playground caused by fire | Repair | 40000 |
| 2009 | Rivermeade | Damage – Swings | Repair | 400 |
| 2009 | Santry | Damage – playground | Repaired | 300 |
| 2009 | Ridgewood | Damage to swing seats and wet pour surface | Repaired | |
| 2009 | Newbridge | Repairs | Repaired | |
| August 2009 | Skerries | New board on unit | Replaced | 898.02 |
| August 2009 | Skerries | Surface Repair | Repaired | 959.08 |
| May 2009 | Skerries | Wet Pour Surface | Repaired | 144.72 |
| November 2009 | Chapel Gate, Balbriggan | Damage to Red Sail | Replace | 567.67 |
| August 2009 | Chapel Gate, Balbriggan | Graffiti & gum removal | Removal | 766.13 |
| 2009 | St Catherine’s, Rush | Surface Repair | Repaired | 1469.83 |
| 2009 | St Catherine’s, Rush | Surface Repair Clean gum | Repaired | 1191.75 |
| 2009 | St Catherine’s, Rush | Wet Pour Surface | Repaired | 144.72 |
| 2009 | Tyrellstown | Damage to Wet Pour Surface, Swings and Main gate | Repaired and replaced | 4500 |
| Total | 58074.9 |
