Local cricket pitches vandalised by motorbikes

The fields at Rotorua’s Ray Boord Park have been vandalised by motorbikes in another blow to the local cricketing community.

Photos sent to the Rotorua Daily Post show the turf ripped up on two of the cricket blocks where grass pitches are curated during the summer.

Video has also emerged showing motorbikes creating the damage.

Rotorua Cricket Association chairman Paul Wylie said the cricket facilities in town had been targeted multiple times this year.

That included the artificial turf at the practice nets getting ripped up and stolen three times, costing thousands of dollars to replace, and the Smallbone Park pavilion getting broken into twice.

“The damage to the wicket blocks and to the nets is sad, of course, and very frustrating, and costs a lot of money to fix - but it’s just money at the end of the day,” Wylie said.

Damage to the grass wicket block at Ray Boord Park.

“If this continues, someone is going to get seriously hurt. Either they’ll get run down by a bike, or someone from the local community is going to take matters into their own hands and end up confronting these people on their bikes – and I hate to think what the consequences of this might be.”

Wylie said he hadn’t been in contact with the ground staff to ascertain their thoughts on how long it will take to repair, but he imagined it would not be a quick fix.

“This is not only making sport more expensive and less enjoyable for people, it’s having a serious impact on the safety of our community.”

Wylie said he would like to see it taken seriously “because our cricketing community, and I’d imagine the wider community too, are at their wits’ end with this behaviour”.

Damage to the grass wicket block at Ray Boord Park.

“Over the past year or two, we’ve had young players and adults being ‘targeted’ by dirt bikers whilst playing and practising on Ray Boord Park. And I know that dog walkers and people walking the parks have had the same.

“I’ve played in games myself where, during broad daylight on Saturdays, the dirt bikers have carried on their antics for literally an hour – with no police or security anywhere to be seen. I’m really, really concerned that someone is going to get hurt.”

Wylie said the cricket association was fielding numerous questions from players, parents and supporters asking what is being done about this, not just to protect facilities, but to protect the community itself.

“We want to be part of a solution, but are realistic enough to know it’s not just up to us.”

Rotorua Lakes Council’s sport, recreation and environment manager, Rob Pitkethley, said the council worked with the Rotorua Cricket association last time by sourcing some artificial covering to then supply to the association for laying.

Pitkethley said the cost of the artificial covering was nothing as it was left over from the hockey turf replacement, and was not sure if the association incurred any cost for laying it.

“It is very disappointing that this damage has happened again, and we will continue to work with the association for necessary repairs.”

The incident was reported to the police by neighbours, he said.

A police media spokesperson said police had no record of a complaint.

In August, the Rotorua Daily Post reported on the issue of trail bike riders hooning on Rotorua sports fields threatening children and adults, in one case threatening to burn one resident’s house down.