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Vandalism across Waikato District Council assets has cost ratepayers more than $120,000 so far this year, with further repair costs expected to continue into summer and beyond.
The council says confirmed repair costs between January and November 2025 total $122,852.65, excluding GST, prompting the launch of a summer awareness campaign titled What’s the damage?.
The campaign aims to highlight both the physical damage being caused to public assets such as sports fields, toilets and park furniture, and the financial impact of repairing and replacing vandalised facilities.
The figure covers damage to open spaces, facilities and graffiti removal across the district, including parks, toilets, walkways and community facilities. It does not include vandalism-related damage to roading assets such as skid marks, signage or barriers, staff time diverted from planned work, contractor callouts, or additional incidents occurring in November and December.
Council’s general manager for assets and infrastructure, Megan May, says the cost of vandalism ultimately falls on ratepayers.
“Repairing vandalism takes funding away from other priorities, including maintaining services and improving facilities for the community,” May says. “Ratepayers foot the bill for repairing the damage, not the people causing it.”
May says vandalism also creates ongoing safety risks and reduces access to public facilities, particularly during the busy summer period.
“Damage to bridges, playgrounds, toilets, and public walkways can make them unsafe or unusable, which is particularly concerning during the busy summer period when demand is high,” she says.
“We know it’s a very small proportion of our communities causing this damage, but repeated vandalism puts pressure on teams to carry out urgent repairs so facilities can stay open and safe.
“That work takes resources away from planned maintenance and improvements.”
Recent incidents include repeated damage at the Huntly footbridge, where a steel safety panel was cut out and temporary mesh replacements were removed six times over two weeks in November. A permanent replacement panel is expected to cost around $3500.
At Lake Puketirini in Huntly, public toilets have been destroyed by arson three times. A fire-resistant toilet was reinstated in November at a cost of about $15,000.
Other incidents include vandalism and arson at public toilets in Centennial Park, Ngāruawāhia, and repeated damage to fencing around a stormwater asset at Tamahere Reserve between October and December.
As part of the What’s the damage? campaign, council is encouraging residents to report vandalism as soon as they see it using the free Antenno app, which allows issues to be logged directly with council.
“Early reporting through the Antenno app helps us respond faster, reduces safety risks, and limits repeated damage. Community reporting makes a real difference,” May says.
Anyone who witnesses vandalism in progress is urged to contact Police.
