‘Can’t have nothing nice;’ Residents working to find out who vandalized new city playground

SPRINGBORO — “Everybody’s upset - irritated, frustrated. Keeping their eyes open to make sure we find whoever did it,” Lisa Middendorf said Wednesday about the culprit or culprits who vandalized North Park in Springboro, which opened just a few weeks ago.

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Middendorf and Teresa McLaughlin are among the city residents who bring children to the park. As reported on News Center at 5:30, McLaughlin’s granddaughters this week noticed orange cones, which city workers placed near a damaged mound on a part of the playground that opened two weeks ago.

“That’s sad,” McLaughlin said. “Can’t have nothing nice these days. sad.”

According to a social media post from the City of Springboro, someone pulled off and destroyed a mound at the new playground at North Park.

“Since its opening just a few weeks ago, hundreds of families have enjoyed the play equipment. Now, because of this vandalism, we may need to close the playground to repair the damage,” the post said.

Neither she nor Middendorf could believe someone would damage “such a nice park” that is packed with people most days.

Middendorf saw the post.

“It’s frustrating,” she said. “It’s sad. The city put so much money into the park so kids and families can enjoy it - and people vandalized it and tried to ruin it already.”

McLaughlin said that despite the cones, her granddaughters love playing in the park and she’s confident police will find the people who damaged it.

“They need to pay their dues,” she said, “pay for what they’ve done for sure.”

City workers told News Center 7′s Gabrielle Enright that it’s not clear yet when the damage will be repaired or whether part of the park will have to be closed to make those repairs.

If you have information about the vandalism at the park, you are asked to call Springboro police at 937-748-0611.

Anyone who saw who may have done this is asked to call the Springboro Police Department at 937-748-0611.

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