The playground, at Rathmines Park, was torched last Tuesday night.

The Lakes Mail posted a video from the site, reporting on the destruction, and it prompted an immediate and passionate response from residents.

“We cannot let the vandals win,” John Pritchard wrote on Facebook.

“Hopefully someone with an ounce of decency, who knows who these idiots are, will report them to Toronto Police.”

Resident Craig Peacock’s blood was boiling. He labelled the vandals “low-life scum”.

But there was sadness, too.

Resident Debbie Dye posted: “This is disgusting, my kids love this playground! They will be gutted.”

Member for Lake Macquarie, Greg Piper, was furious.

“Vandalism is one of those things that just makes me angry,” Mr Piper said. 

“It’s so senseless. It breaks your heart to see it; it certainly breaks the community’s heart.”

NSW Fire and Rescue responded to the blaze about 8.50pm.

Lake Macquarie City Council staff attended on Wednesday morning and set about the clean-up, and making the area safe.

Site supervisor Greg Fahey, who has been installing and maintaining playgrounds in the city for 30 years, said the vandalism was sadly a sign of the times.

“As much as this sort of vandalism is disappointing, you learn to just shake your head,” Mr Fahey said.

“You do get hardened to it because it is not uncommon in Lake Macquarie.”

A spokesperson for the council said vandalism was costing ratepayers plenty.

“In 2016-2017, council spent $340,000 on repairs to parks and building facilities, including graffiti removal. This does not include items covered by insurance,” the spokesperson said.

“While vandals are only a small minority, each act of vandalism on council infrastructure affects the entire community because the repair works reduce council’s capacity to undertake other maintenance works across the city.”

The playground had been installed five years ago.

Mr Fahey said the playground had a Catalina theme, with its dimensions matching the length and wing span of the aircraft.

“It is the biggest playground on the western side of the lake,” he said.

News of the destruction spread quickly in Rathmines.

“Already today I’ve had six parents come up to me and ask when will it be prepared?” Mr Fahey said on Friday.

Young children had not taken the news well.

“You can hear in the kids’ voices that they’re upset, too,” he said.

The fire melted and destroyed most of the three-tiered playground.

Smoke, heat and contaminant damage meant that the soft-fall material and adjacent pieces of playground apparatus would also have to be replaced, Mr Fahey said.

Council is investigating options for replacing the damaged equipment.

“Residents witnessing vandalism as it is occurring should contact NSW Police,” the council spokespeerson said.

“To report damaged and vandalised council infrastructure, call 4921 0333 or emailcouncil@lakemac.nsw.gov.au.”