A COMMUNITY sporting club was left shocked and frustrated after discovering its clubhouse was defaced with "offensive language and silly pictures" on the weekend.
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The Windale Junior Rugby League Club committee said the front of building at Hunter Barnett Field would need to be cleaned or possibly repainted after vandals covered it in graffiti.
Secretary Alexis Bridge told the Newcastle Herald the frustrating act must have happened within just hours of the club hosting 24 junior teams for semi-finals on Saturday night.
"We're pretty upset, we spend a lot of hours down there cleaning and making sure the facilities look good," she said.
"Pretty upset that for all our hard work, this is what we get.
"It's just really frustrating."
The small club is run by volunteers also juggling work and families, she said.
Members walking past on Sunday morning discovered the graffiti across the front of the clubhouse.
Ms Bridge said Windale was a welcoming club and if it was young people that were behind the spray paint, she extended an invitation.
"Come down and play, rather than being out there vandalising the community," she said.
"Put your energy into something else rather than ruining community property."
Although thankful that the club's junior rugby league season had wrapped up, so the children wouldn't have to see the offensive graffiti, Ms Bridge said members of the community used the field and there were pedestrians in the area.
She said businesses and other teams in the competition had extended offers of help in the aftermath.
"The community has really rallied around ... the community is angry," she said.
"It kind of shows the community spirit about it."
Ms Bridge said the vandalism had been reported to police.
A Lake Macquarie City Council (LMCC) spokesperson said council would be involved in helping remove the graffiti, or repaint the wall in "extreme circumstances".
The spokesperson said they were not aware of a request from the club regarding the installation of CCTV but if there was one, they would have to demonstrate why they are needed and how it would meet guidelines about cameras in public areas.
It comes after a spate of vandalism at sporting clubs across the Hunter in the past few months.
This football season, several clubs have reported late-night vandalism, ransacked canteens, theft of alcohol and electrical devices, as well as the destruction of parts of their clubhouses.
Newcastle City Juniors AFC, Broadmeadow Magic, Cooks Hill United Juniors Football Club, Souths Junior Rugby League Football Club, Merewether Carlton Rugby Union Club and Swansea Football Club have all suffered.
IN THE NEWS:
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
