THREE weeks ago, things were looking up for the Greenwood Park Educare Centre, a dedicated space of learning.

Since repair work by the community last year, it has again become the target of vandals and the wanton destruction at the property is visible.

The principal, Lee Ellis, was hopeful of beginning 2022 with a sense of renewed optimism. However, that was not to be.

Over the New Year period, the school, which is both a daycare and a pre-primary school, was vandalised several more times, leaving Ellis heartbroken.

“I’m traumatised and heartbroken by this whole series of break-ins and wanton vandalism,” Ellis said. “This feels very personal at this point. It is as if they don’t want me to open. This only started in November last year once we put out a message saying we intended to re-open the school. They’ve vandalised the property so many times that there is nothing left to steal now. We were ready to open. The community came to our aid and to have to share the news with them is devastating. They came and helped out of the goodness of their hearts,” she said.

Compounding the problem is the thieves and vandals stole the alarm system in the first break-in in 2021.

“They also ripped out and cut the electricity supply to our school. So we haven’t been reconnected to the main power source. I’m concerned these vandals are going to keep coming back. Once we replace a broken window or door, another entrance is made by these vandals. My son even stayed here one night with his friends until about 02:45 in the morning. Just hours after they left, the vandals returned and damaged more,” she said.

Ellis has opened a case of malicious damage to property, theft and break-in at the Greenwood Park Police Station.
At the time of going to print, no arrests had been made.

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