Barrier Daily Truth

Spy cam on the vandals

Wednesday, 15th February, 2012

By Andrew Robertson

City Council is looking at extending CCTV coverage of the BH Regional Aquatic Centre in response to vandalism.

Vandals have attacked the aquatic centre a number of times since it reopened in December, forcing the closure of one or more pools in extreme cases.

In one publicised incident, which happened the day before the centre was to open to the public, three men broke in and threw a table, three bins and a pool cover into the 50m pool. One of them also defecated in the water.

Council’s Group Manager of Infrastructure, Paul DeLisio, said that while the attack was caught on camera and the footage shown to police, the perpetrators could not be identified.

Additional cameras, he said, could be used to not only resolve the blind spot issue but also to cover areas of the pool that did not have cameras.

“It will also enable us to better plan our response to these incidents,” Mr DeLisio said.

“CCTV is proving to be effective for us and will prove more so when we use it to its full potential.

“We do have coverage of the 50m pool but we’re looking at more comprehensive coverage.”

Mr DeLisio said the extra cameras might be purchased with any remaining funds from the pool refurbishment budget.

“At the moment we’re concentrating on (finishing) some other aspects of the centre.”

Council also believes the free entry days that were held each Monday during the school holidays could have contributed to the vandalism.

A report to Council said free entry had attracted “disruptive individuals” who “show little consideration for pool attendants” and other pool users.

“These individuals come and go as they please throughout the day as they do not have to pay an entry fee,” according the report.

It said the vandalism would be monitored to establish if there is any correlation with free entry.

Mr DeLisio said there continued to be people who misused the centre’s facilities but the incidents remained few and far between.

“Unfortunately you do get some people who display anti-social behaviour...

“There are some people who have been barred from the pool for a period of time.”