Vandalized: Newly surfaced pickleball courts at Zenith Park “intentionally” damaged, says police chief
Cloudcroft’s popular public courts were vandalized with a ‘big rock’ on Sunday night. The local pickleball club is offering a $3,500 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Someone vandalized the pickleball courts at Cloudcroft’s Zenith Park on Sunday night, September 27, damaging the recently refurbished playing surface.
Cloudcroft Police Chief Roger Schoolcraft said, “They basically took a big rock and were just walking around, throwing the rock down onto the surface of the pickleball courts and causing a lot of damage.”
The police are actively investigating the incident. Schoolcraft said he canvassed the neighborhood. Currently, police have no leads. The damage happened late at night “under the cover of darkness,” he said.
“It was intentionally done. It’s vandalism,” Schoolcraft said.
When the Reader reached him by phone, Schoolcraft was meeting with Mayor Dusty Wiley and the Village Clerk Jini Turri about the damage. He said they are working on a plan “to secure that property and also keep it available for the public to use,” including steps to secure the courts after hours.
Pickleball Addicts of Cloudcroft (PAC) board members and volunteers Linda Hamilton, Jason and Tami Alexander, and Willie Repp painted and taped over the damaged areas Tuesday morning. They were trying to keep rain from seeping under the new acrylic surface and causing more damage.
It’s unclear why anyone would intentionally deface a popular public facility like this.
“It’s very disheartening to arrive at the courts in the morning to this,” said Hamilton, who leads the PAC.
The courts got a new surface earlier this year. Since then, they have hosted three pickleball tournaments this summer that raised money for Parks and Recreation and for school programs and brought in hundreds of visitors to the village.
Well into September, all six courts have been full during regular PAC play and in the evenings, giving people of all ages a place to play and exercise.
Schoolcraft asks anyone with information about who was involved to contact him or Officer Mike Testa at the Cloudcroft Police Department at 575-437-2210 or leave a message for the PD at the Village Office at 575-682-2411. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
The PAC is offering a $3,500 reward for the information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the damage to the pickleball courts.
The Reader has contacted Public Works Supervisor JJ Carrizal about how much damage was done. We will continue to follow this story.
Join Cloudcroft Pickleball’s 500+ players on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110159126769678
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How disappointing, frustrating…..