Council paying security guards to keep setting concrete safe

NOTHING appeals more to mischief-makers than writing their name in wet cement.

To protect against such vandalism, Ipswich City Council has opted to hire security guards to watch over its freshly laid cement pathways.

One Ipswich resident last week noticed a security officer from SECUREcorp hired to guard 22m of a wet concrete pathway within Reals Park at Sadliers Crossing.

The piece of infrastructure was built to provide disability access.

"My husband and I observed the security officers' 4WD stationed in the park and got curious," she said. "It was parked there for a few hours.

"I was a bit bemused when he said he was guarding the strip of curing cement.

"I suppose it's just a sign of the times that we need these people to stop vandals from defacing property."

An Ipswich City Council spokesperson said to ensure newly laid concrete was given adequate and undisturbed time to cure, traffic controllers remained on site.

"This vigilance ensured that the freshly poured concrete was not defaced or damaged in any way and that the job did not have to be redone again at council's expense," the spokesperson said.

"The practice of protecting newly laid concrete is not used on all projects.

"However dependent on the time of pouring, location of the works and scale of a pour, this practice can save unnecessary rework and capital investment."

Ipswich City Council refused to respond to how much was spent to guard the concrete. SECUREcorp was unable to comment.