Vandals causing damage at the Garnett Depot on the Prairie Spirit Trail have pushed City Manager Travis Wilson to post pictures of the act on social media and will likely lead to purchasing surveillance cameras. Vandals splattered and smeared feces on an upholstered bench and wall at the depot last week. The crime has brought outrage to the community, many expressing their feelings on comments associated with the pictures posted. Wilson says the single camera installed at the depot more than a decade ago stopped working some time ago, and the footage it did capture in its later days was unusable.
The Santa Fe Depot, was reopened in the early 2000s as a restroom, historical display and rest spot for people using the Prairie Spirit Trail. The recent incident brings to light a discussion among city leaders regarding the need for new surveillance cameras at city hall. Commissioners recently heard a proposal for a $9,800 system that included 24/7 surveillance of city hall’s 5th Avenue headquarters and the surrounding area, but that proposal did not include the depot or any other city structures.
