‘This is your community’: City councilmember pleads with residents after Richmond park vandalized

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A Richmond city official says vandalism at a local park must stop.

Richmond city councilwoman Reva Trammell said the Charlie Sydnor playground has become unsafe for many kids who want to enjoy the basketball court.

The weekend of Saturday, March 1, Trammell shared photos of two of the park's four basketball hoops. They'd been shattered, with glass on the court as well as tire marks.

“Why would someone do this?" Trammel said. "What did [they] accomplish?”

Vandalism at the Charlie Syndor playground. (Photo: Reva Trammell)

Vandalism at the Charlie Syndor playground. (Photo: 8News)

Vandalism at the Charlie Syndor playground. (Photo: 8News)

Vandalism at the Charlie Syndor playground. (Photo: 8News)

Trammell said the $400,000 court was part of a $1.8 million playground project she had been working on since 2020. She said the plan was to give children a safe space to have fun.

“Our children matter, the youth matter -- families wanted this, they were involved in it,” Trammell said. “We used taxpayers' money, grant money, that we have been fighting to get. Organizations [and] other people came together to help me with this. The community came together.”

She said it’s the second such incident on the court in the last year. Trammell said she requested that former mayor Levar Stoney install cameras for added security -- but nothing happened.

She’s pleading with the community to come forth with any information they may have regarding these vandalisms.

“Come forward and tell us," Trammell said. "This is your community, this [park] is yours. Blackwell is your community. This is something we wanted for this zip code.”

Trammell said the city’s Parks and Recreation department will be replacing the shattered backboards with new ones made of plexiglass. Additionally, cameras will be installed around the area.

No timetable was provided for when these improvements will happen.