Vandals snap, uproot trees and bushes at under-construction Sorenson Park

Vandals struck Sorenson Neighborhood County Park in the Lake Shore area last Thursday night, snapping or uprooting newly planted trees and shrubbery to leave an estimated $10,000 in damage to the under-construction park, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

The park is at the intersection of Northwest 26th Avenue and Northwest 109th Street, near the border between the Felida and Lake Shore areas. The sheriff’s office said vandals snapped around eight trees and uprooted several bushes.

The sheriff’s office asked anyone with helpful information about the case to contact Deputy Shane Clemenhagen at 360-397-2211, ext. 5477, or shane.clemenhagen@clark.wa.gov.

The park is unfinished. Construction began in the summer. In June, the county awarded a $934,700 contract to Robertson & Olson Construction Inc., of Camas, to build the park.

County Parks Manager Bill Bjerke said the park hasn’t been officially “turned over” to the county yet, and it will be on the contractor to address the damage.

He didn’t think the damage will affect the schedule for opening the park. The Felida Neighborhood Association has been organizing a dedication and ribbon-cutting event, which is set for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 3.

Bjerke said it will likely be a fairly short event that will move indoors after the ribbon cutting.

“We’re expecting weather,” he said.