Located at the corner of Kingston Heath Road and Lambert Road in Woodmen Hills, the Dane R. Balcon Park has been a hotspot for vandalism since it was installed in 2009. Gene Cozzolino, water/wastewater director for the Woodmen Hills Metropolitan District, said the park has been targeted about 15 times, while the other parks in the community typically get vandalized two or three times per year.Members of the American Legion Dane R. Balcon Post 2008 constructed the park in memory of Dane Balcon, who was killed in action in Iraq in September 2008. Balcon graduated from Sand Creek High School in Falcon School District 49 in 2006.ìWeíve spent about $5,100 doing repairs to the monument and playground equipment in Balcon Park since 2009,î Cozzolino said. Rocks have been thrown into the plexiglass on the front of the monument. The district has also cleaned up spray paint and repaired the monument after a vehicle ran into it, he said.The most recent incident occurred during the night of May 6, said Sgt. Greg White, public information officer with the El Paso County Sheriffís Office. In an email to The New Falcon Herald, White wrote that a deputy responded to a report of vandalism and found a large chip in the plexiglass covering the memorial. The estimated cost to repair the glass is more than $1,500.Cozzolino said they have no suspects or leads but he believes the culprits are young. ìOne of the neighbors said they witnessed young kids doing it (vandalizing) one time,î he said. ìThey called the sheriff that time.ìWeíre looking to see if we can get some cameras installed to get a video of whoís doing this. Of all the parks, weíre not sure why theyíre targeting this one.îAt the May board meeting of the WHMD, the directors unanimously approved a $9,550 contract for installing two poles, four cameras and a DVD recorder with 1,340 hours of recording capabilities at the park.
