SHAMOKIN, Pa. — Illumination Station has been in the works for more than a year in downtown Shamokin.
The new pocket park opened last week on Independence Street.
It features glow-in-the-dark flooring, plants, a neon sign, and will have a projector that plays movies.
"Just be a nice restful area for people to come and sit and enjoy it," Mayor Rick Ulrich said.
Illumination Station was open less than four days before it was vandalized.
Shamokin officials say teenagers used it as a skatepark, damaging the seating areas and concrete floor.
One juvenile was arrested.
"We tried years ago to give the kids a skatepark. They destroyed it. Now they come into city properties and destroy them," Mayor Ulrich said.
The park has been fenced off to the public since the damage was discovered over the weekend.
City Administrator Bob Slaby says he is unsure of the extent of the damage but believes it's significant.
"We're going to hold the parents accountable. We're going to post what you can do and what you can't do here. If you get caught violating it, somebody's going to have to pay a hefty fine," Slaby said.
The vandalism is disheartening for the people who organized the pocket park.
"We're trying to give the city something beautiful," Mayor Ulrich said.
"A lot of time and effort has been spent on putting this all together," Slaby said.
City officials say they plan to install cameras, and they hope to reopen Illumination Station soon.
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