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Blackout at Greenpoint Park Follows Rash of Vandalism

By Meredith Hoffman | July 16, 2013 10:28am
 Benches have been stripped from the park along with other recent vandalism acts, neighbors said.
McGolrick Park Vandalism
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GREENPOINT — A park recently struck by a rash of vandalism has now been hit by a blackout at night, turning the "lovely pretty refuge" into a seemingly "dangerous place," residents said.

McGolrick Park's lights have stopped working due to electrical issues, said a spokesman for the city's Department of Transportation, which maintains the lights.

He said that the agency was reviewing the problem to make repairs as soon as possible. He did not give a timeframe for when the lights would be fixed.

The blackout, which residents say started this weekend, follows a recent wave of vandalism from profane graffiti to stripped benches, park regulars said and the Brooklyn Paper reported.

"I've told my three children to stay out of the park and they’re scared," said resident Kari Riess of her reaction to the blackout following the vandalism wave. "They see the results of aggressive behavior and then you put the lights out at night and that’s a very scary thing."

A Parks Department spokeswoman said they were working with the 94th Precinct to monitor the park.