Radio-control car club track attack upsetting

Graffiti and burnout damage cover the Otago Radio Control Car Club race track in Victoria Rd,...
Graffiti and burnout damage cover the Otago Radio Control Car Club race track in Victoria Rd, Dunedin. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN
Otago Radio Control Car Club members have been left shocked and appalled by "obnoxious'' graffiti at their racing facilities in South Dunedin.

The club's track in the public car park beside the Dunedin Ice Stadium was covered in skid marks and spray painted, in white and yellow, with offensive language, images of genitals and swastikas during the weekend.

Club president Jamie Scott said the damage was "gut-wrenching''.

"The guys in the club have put so much time and effort into that facility.

"Even though it's on Dunedin City Council land, we maintain the area,'' Mr Scott said.

Spray-painted graffiti on the track at the Otago Radio Control Car Club. Photo: Jamie Scott via Facebook
Spray-painted graffiti on the track at the Otago Radio Control Car Club. Photo: Jamie Scott via Facebook

"It's not just for us. It's used by children learning to ride bikes and sometimes motorcycle training outfits use it to learn how to do slow cornering.''

He said the damage did not prevent the club from using the facility, but some of the obscene messages written on the track made it unpleasant to be around.

"It's just disgusting.''

He said if it was just swastikas and pictures of genitals, it could be dismissed as "young bogans'' making a nuisance of themselves.

However, given the writing was so neat, he did not believe it was done by young people.

Some of the messages - "Big Boys, Small Toys'' and "Grow Up! Well [sic] be back'' - seemed to be personally directed at the club, which angered him.

"If all they had to do in their life was write obscene messages with a spray can, maybe they need to take a good look in the mirror.''

Mr Scott said the track was given a fresh coat of paint last September.

Club members would have to spend hours scrubbing the area clean again.

He encouraged anyone with information about the culprits to contact Dunedin police.

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