The executive director of Friends of Belmont Beach said the vandalism is a big blow to the work they've been doing.
INDIANAPOLIS — Members of the Haughville community say they're disappointed after vandals damaged historic signs at Belmont Beach.
Belmont is a formerly segregated beach at 2020 N. White River Parkway Dr. West. At one point, it was the only waterfront Black people in the area could visit and swim.
After decades of neglect, a group has been working to restore the beach, clean the water and improve its amenities.
Ebony Chappel, executive director of Friends of Belmont Beach, said the recent vandalism is a big blow to the work they've been doing.
Help keep Belmont Beach safe! If you see something, say something!Hi Friends!
Recently, Belmont Beach has endured acts of vandalism and theft.
Warning: The videos included in this post contain graphic imagery and language.
We love having this space available for the community to enjoy but, if instances continue to occur, we will be forced to restrict entry to the park outside of event days.
Help us keep Belmont Beach open to the community!
1) Belmont Beach is open from dawn to dusk each day. This means no unauthorized gatherings after sundown.
2) When you are visiting Belmont, be sure to throw away your trash in one of the bins and encourage others to do the same.
3) If you witness an act of vandalism or theft, call 911 immediately.
4) If you feel uncomfortable speaking with law enforcement, send an email to belmontbeachproject@gmail.com
5) If you have information about the people in these photos/videos send an email to belmontbeachproject@gmail.com
Thank you for doing your part to protect this community asset.
With Gratitude,
Friends of Belmont Beach
Posted by Belmont Beach Project on Tuesday, October 25, 2022
"If you look at the sign, you read the history of what this space means to the community. So the fact that somebody would look at it and think that this is a place that I need to spray paint, this is a place that I need to destroy, it's just extremely, extremely disheartening.
The Friends of Belmont Beach group said they still have a lot of faith in this project and the community.
Workers have already started cleaning up the beach and repairing the damage. There's a closing celebration to wrap up the park's season this weekend, and organizers said the space should be ready in time.
