FUTURE investment into new play area equipment is under threat in Rishton after a games area was targeted by arsonists and graffiti.
Bins and seating have been set on fire and the flooring attacked at the Holt Street recreation ground, near the multi-use games area, several times over the past few weeks.
Ward councillor Ken Moss, who has recently been selected as council portfolio holder for leisure, education and arts, said it was ‘very hard’ for them to justify spending more money on new equipment.
He said: “Ever since it’s been there it’s been subjected to graffiti. It is because it is out of the way.
“In the past month we’ve had a couple of fires there and equipment has been severely damaged or beyond repair.
“We have had plenty of complaints about the damage that’s been caused there.
“Whenever we put something new in like this it’s always targeted.”
Holt Street recreational ground is one of the largest in Rishton and serves the lower end of the village.
The area was shortlisted in a council asset review last year as land that could be surrendered, with options including subletting or ending the current lease.
However councillors opted against it and it remains under the council’s control.
Coun Moss said they are ‘actively looking’ to create other recreational grounds in Rishton to serve the top part of the village.
Possible sites include the Ladybird Garden and Parker Street.
However Coun Moss said: “To do that would cost us tens of thousands of pounds. It makes it very difficult to justify spending more money there when it’s just going to get vandalised.
“I would like to issue a plea to anyone who knows who has done this so we can clamp down on this.”
