Mount Vernon officials are pleading with people to take care of the city’s parks after a rise in vandalism in the last two months.

The city says it is renovating its 17 parks and playgrounds but people have been destroying the properties.

Someone set fire to a tube slide at Ben Gordon Playground over the weekend, which cost the city $8,000 to replace it. A plastic picnic table was also burned during a cookout. Dogs have been chewing the new swing sets at the Grove Street playground. Fences at Brush Park and Harley Park were cut, which cost the city another $15,000. Bolts were removed from swings at Howard Street playground.

Mayor Shawn Patterson-Howard says adults are the problem.

"This is disrespectful to the community, this is disrespectful to law-abiding citizens, and it is dangerous for you to take away safety in our park and our playgrounds for our children," she said on Thursday.

Inspections also uncovered $1,500 worth of damage to ADA swings.

Parks officials urge residents to report any vandalism that they may witness.