It’s incredibly disappointing to see that a part of a mural was recently stolen from Father Marinaro Skate Park.

The right side of a large mural on the back of one of the skate park’s ramps has been missing since at least Sunday. It had featured cartoon-like characters in bright colors.

The colorful artwork was the result of significant time and effort by a local individual, and though it’s always a shame to see someone take something that isn’t theirs, it’s especially frustrating to see it happen at a community park where volunteers like those from the South Side Park Group have worked hard to revitalize a space.

The artwork was replaced with vandalism and tagged with what looked to be a social media account, which will hopefully lead to the culprit who must take responsibility for what he or she has done. It was an expensive and timely investment in the park that was so carelessly removed.

Cindy Parker, the president of South Side Park Group, said it well in a Friday news article published in the Butler Eagle.

“There was a lot of man-hours and talent and labor that went into that. The paint was very expensive,” she said. “That's a big deal for us.”

She went on to offer a $100 reward if someone can lead them to the mural.

We hope that someone will indeed come forward with information to lead to the mural, or better yet, that the culprit will come forward with an apology and the missing piece of the mural.

We think it’s important to note that the South Side Park Group has done a tremendous job at Father Marinaro Skate Park. Though this incident is certainly frustrating, we want to note just how appreciated the group’s efforts are.

The South Side Park Group has stepped up to keep the park clean, but also to bring the community together with events at the venue.

Further, security cameras have been added to protect the space.

We don’t want to see the volunteers who make such a positive impact at the park be deterred from helping, but that’s what happens amid incidents like this.

Please take care of and take pride in our parks.

— TL