Sweet Home officials report increased park vandalism; Weddle Bridge gated and cameras in use

Councilors and city staff told the Sweet Home City Council they have seen an increase in vandalism at city parks and are taking steps to protect facilities, including gating the Weddle Bridge and relying on park cameras to identify suspects.

A parks committee member said volunteers are being sought for an ivy pull at Northside Park on Oct. 7 and mentioned an uptick in vandalism. Public Works staff member Greg confirmed the city uses cameras in parks and said one camera had been cut recently and was repaired. "We do have cameras. We did have 1 that was cut recently, which were repaired," Greg said.

Staff said they closed and gated Weddle Bridge recently because the bridge had been damaged and they wanted to prevent further harm; councilors were told anyone who climbs the gate could face arrest for criminal trespass. Councilors and staff encouraged residents to report suspicious activity to the police department and to volunteer for park maintenance work.

The parks committee update also included event information (a Harvest Festival on Oct. 4 and vendor/booth counts) and a call for chili judges; those event details were presented as committee information, not formal council actions. No formal council vote or ordinance related to park closures or new enforcement powers occurred during the meeting; the actions described were staff or committee steps and standard police enforcement of trespass laws.

Councilors thanked Public Works for maintenance and reminded residents to notify police if they observe unsafe behavior in parks.