Vandalism Shuts Down Ashland Skate Park

Families looked on from the sidewalk as the Ashland Parks and Recreation Department posted signs Friday announcing the skate park would be temporarily closed.  

Tuesday night vandals spray-painted politically-charged slogans all over the park... And tore siding off the bathrooms.

Some of the vandalism made derogatory remarks toward the Ashland Police Department.

"Over the years we've been hit several times, just minor, small taggings. But this seems to be the largest that the skate park in Ashland's experienced due to the magnitude," says Sgt. Scott Schuster.

The city is trying to decide how to remove the paint in an environmentally safe way.

Clean-up could cost a few thousand dollars. Ashland's Parks and Recreation director, Don Robertson, hopes to have the graffiti gone and the park re-opened in the next few days.