The Massachusetts Horticultural Society fields at Elm Bank Reservation were hit by vandals last week who took to the area below the sledding hill with their vehicle, doing the damage pictured below. The tracks, which were discovered the morning of December 30, fortunately only went about 1″ deep since the ground was frozen at the time of the mischief.

Even so, repairs that will be undertaken in the spring will be costly, likely to the tune of over $1,000 according to the organization’s Executive Director, Kathy Macdonald. At that time, Mass Hort, which makes those fields available to soccer clubs for their fall tournament, as well as for other uses throughout the year, will have the area raked with heavy equipment and reseeded.

Mass Hort notified police, but at this time it is not known who tore up the fields.

Macdonald notes that there is now security living back on the property and that the park’s gates will be locked 6pm – 6:30/7am (except during scheduled events).

“We hope people who love this property, as we do, will help to keep it beautiful and discourage those who vandalize it,” Macdonald said.