A community garden within Christchurch's Rawhiti Domain has been hit by repeated thefts, including of a nest swing designed to be able to be used by disabled children. Photo: Supplied / Guardians of Rawhiti Domain Charitable Trust
The chair of a Christchurch community-funded garden says the recent theft of two substantial trees made her consider giving up on the project.
The Woodland Playground in Rawhiti Domain in New Brighton has been developed by the Guardians of Rawhiti Domain Charitable Trust over the last seven years.
Trust chair Cathy Baker said the idea of the gardens was to redevelop an area of the domain which had become neglected. She said they have made sure the area and equipment is accessible for disabled and neurodiverse children after parents mentioned many other playgrounds were not catering for children with special needs.
The garden is funded by charitable donations.
Baker said the thefts have been constant since the start of the project, with the ongoing theft of plants and play equipment, including a swing set specifically designed for use by disabled children.
She said the recent theft of two five-year-old jacaranda trees felt like the final straw.
"It's actually heartbreaking really. When two Sundays ago I discovered the jacarandas were missing, I couldn't breathe. I just thought this is it, this is the end. Why bother?"
She said they are now trying to raise funds to set up monitored security cameras and have set up a Givealittle page to raise funds.
Baker said some of the items were spotted up for sale on social media sites.
She said the information was passed on to police, but the items were not able to be retrieved.