City Purchases Security Cameras For Park
After years of vandalism at the park, Bourbon City Council members are putting security cameras around the premises.
Council members hope the cameras will deter vandalism that has targeted the restrooms, lights and in August, a basketball backboard and the pickleball courts.
The park board has announced that a reward will be given to anyone who reports vandalism and the information leads to a conviction.
The city has spent thousands of dollars on repairs at the park over the last several years.
In September 2020, Mayor Dave Lafferty had the lights shut off at the basketball court. The city had the lights set to turn off at dusk following a request from former Ward 2 Alderwoman Sonya Sewald.
Sewald said the lights were disruptive to nearby residents.
According to reporting by the Independent News at the time, Lafferty said in 2020 that vandals were climbing the pole and turning them on after the automatic shut-off.
Lafferty said he would drive past the park at 5 a.m. to find the lights on, which increased the city’s utility bill.
That set off a game of cat-and-mouse between the city and the vandals. Each time the city came up with a solution to keep the lights protected, whether it was moving the electric box higher or enclosing them with a cage, the vandals continued finding a way through.
Paneling and breakers were destroyed along the way.
The next year, the city reported that people renting the pavilions were leaving behind trash and in one case, fecal matter on the walls.
In early 2023, the park board told the council that vandals turned their aim towards the bathrooms, doing extensive damage.
A brick was used to break a double lock and a toilet was kicked off the flange. A water fountain was ripped off the wall.
In August, one of the backboards at the basketball court was damaged. The backboard was shattered.
Lafferty said during the council’s Sept. 18 meeting that he wanted backboards that would stand up to damage.
“I don’t want to waste money on something,” he said.