Mayor Mapp Appeals to Public Amid Park Vandalization

PLAINFIELD, NJ — At Tuesday night’s Plainfield City Council meeting, the governing body voted unanimously to award a professional services contract to Pennoni Associates for playground improvements. Mayor Mapp gave more context on why they are needed.

“We have spent millions of dollars enhancing our parks at Seidler Field,” said Mayor Mapp. “We spent no less than $6 million or so, and what has been happening is that vandalism has been plaguing some of our recreational spaces.”

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Mapp explained that someone cut out a chuck of the fence at Seidler Field, causing repairs to have to be made. The resolution caps repair costs at $47,500.

“I just want to bring that to the attention of the public so that when they see something, they'll bring it to the attention of our Police Department,” said Mapp, who said that the security camera was on. “We will look at ways that we could do some more monitoring. At the end of the day residents should understand that it makes no sense to destroy your own property.”

Council President Steve Hockaday suggested that it may be people from other states or municipalities who are doing the damage.

“They might not even be on taxpayers that are doing that stuff, and that that's the hope,” said Hockaday. “But nevertheless, as taxpayers, we all have to be vigilant to make sure that if we see something, we certainly report individuals who are doing this so that they don't so that they don't destroy our property.”

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