Lights off at Meriden's Washington Park after vandalism: officials

The lights at Washington Park in Meriden are off because of what city officials called excessive littering and vandalism.

“The City will be leaving the lights off at Washington Park this week due to an excessive amount of littering and even vandalism, including attempts to damage park infrastructure,” Chris Bourdon, director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Meriden, said in a news release issued on Monday afternoon.

Residents have reported seeing people throwing basketballs in an attempt to break windows at the parks and recreation offices, which are located at the park, city officials said.

“With the City having invested over $500,000 into Washington Park recently, including new basketball and pickleball courts, these recreation options must be preserved for all to enjoy. We encourage park users and the public at large to assist us in achieving this goal so that additional measures are not necessary,” Bourdon said.