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Local skater Hayleigh Bell will compete in two events at national championships PAGE 8 DOUBLE DUTY BENEFIT CONCERT Darelle London to headline event to aid student artists PAGE 9 www.theIFP.ca Tuesday, January 3, 2012 Halton Hills' award-winning newspaper serving Acton & Georgetown 24 Pages 50 Cents (+HST) Tire tracks from a large vehicle are clearly visible in the rugby pitch ground at the Gellert Community Centre. Approximately $15,000 damage was done to this field and others at the Georgetown Fairgrounds and Harrison Public School (below) early last Thursday. The incidents were similar to one in April 2010 when about $2,000 worth of damage was caused to a soccer field at Gellert Community Centre after someone drove around the field in a pickup truck in the dead of night. Photos by Eamonn Maher Joyriding vandal tears up sports fields By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer Someone's idea of holiday mirth caused approximately $15,000 in damage to three parks last week in Georgetown. Sometime during the early hours of Thursday, Dec. 29, a large vehicle drove on the soft, wet grass at three different locations-- the rugby field at the Gellert Community Centre, a mini-baseball diamond at the Georgetown Fairgrounds and a soccer field at Harrison Public School. It's the second time in nearly two years that the Gellert has had extensive vandalism done to one of its fields after a similar incident on a youth soccer pitch caused about $2,000 in damage in April of 2010. This time, the natural turf was torn up much worse on the rugby pitch. The vehicle drove in circles dozens of times, with the "donuts" leaving deep grooves that will take an estimated $10,000 to fix. The Halton Regional Police are reviewing video surveillance taken by cameras at the Gellert Centre as part of their investigation. "I cannot understand why someone would do this," said Town of Halton Hills superintendent of public works Dick Spear. "Hopefully the police get something useful from the cameras. Harrison school has also been a spot for vandalism in the past with a few instances of graffiti and other damage. But they really did a number on the field at the Gellert." Spear added that with the onset of cold weather, restorative efforts on the fields likely won't begin until the spring. Damage to the Harrison and Fairgrounds fields is estimated at $2,000 to $3,000 each. Vi s i t o u r s h o w r o o m 905-877-6944 · your window & door professionals · 7e HANDLE ALL INSURANCE work. 341 Guelph St., Unit 3 Georgetown 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca · awarded readers choice 16 times · 33 MOUNTAINVIEW ROAD NORTH sTruck Accessories s5PHOLSTEry s(Eavy %QUIPMENT 'LASS s7INDow 4INTING 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown (905) 873-1655