Somerset’s Big Red Slide Targeted by Vandals, Quickly Restored

All it takes is one bad egg to ruin the fun for everyone.

On Sunday, August 3, Somerset’s beloved Big Red Slide at Pierce Beach was temporarily closed after being vandalized overnight.

Graffiti Forces Brief Closure

According to Somerset Playground and Recreation Commissioner Joshua Darlington, the iconic slide was tagged with graffiti sometime between 6 p.m. Saturday evening and 8 a.m. Sunday morning.

“Unfortunately today we had to close the Big Red Slide temporarily,” Darlington shared over the weekend. “The positive thing is we are working together quickly to remove the graffiti so we can get the slide back open.”

And that’s exactly what they did.

Quick Cleanup Brings Fast Reopening

By 2 p.m. the same day, Somerset Recreation Director Barry Fontaine confirmed that the graffiti was removed and the slide was once again open to the public. The swift cleanup was the result of a group effort from Recreation Commissioners Jeff Kardel and Joshua Darlington, Fontaine himself, beach supervisor Elizabeth Darlington, and maintenance team members Shaun Bancroft and Matthew Carpenter.

READ MORE: The Ultimate SouthCoast Playground Guide

Darlington also extended special thanks to John and John from A1 Hardware on County Street for helping gather the right supplies to get the job done fast.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is urged to contact the Somerset Police Department.

Get our free mobile app

Upcoming Events at Pierce Beach

Despite the brief setback, the Somerset Recreation Department is keeping the momentum going with fun community events on the horizon:

• Waterfront Concert: Back in the Day will perform live at Pierce Beach on August 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• 2nd Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta: In partnership with the Somerset Yacht Club, the race kicks off August 9 at 10 a.m. Registration: $30 per boat.

For more info, call (508) 646-2808 or email somersetrecreation@yahoo.com.