All cameras will be on George Town as it installs a security system aimed at reducing vandalism in the town.
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It follows a spate of vandalism, including several windows at the George Town Senior Citizens Club smashed by rocks earlier this week.
Councillors at a George Town Council meeting on Wednesday were further told the bowls club had also been attacked with rocks.
Deputy mayor Tim Harris said vandalism was not uncommon in the town, but he hoped the cameras would help to address the issue.
At the meeting, councillors voted to add a further $11,000 to a CCTV camera project, an existing agenda item, which will cover six locations around the central business district along the main street.
Cr Harris said the now $39,500 CCTV camera project has gone beyond its original budget as it was extended to cover more of the main street.
Ratepayers had first broached the subject as it was “an ongoing problem for some time”, he said.
“The cameras cover Bathurst Street, all of the main street and some of the offshoots.”
The cameras would be up and running soon as many of them had already been installed, he said.
Council community development manager Anne Cameron said the project started with seven cameras across five locations.
However, the council decided to upgrade and extend the project to raise the range of the cameras, adding an additional busy intersection, Ms Cameron said.
The final project included nine cameras following the approval of an additional funding at the council meeting on Wednesday.
The cameras would be monitored from a secure room in the council building, she said.
Most of the cameras costs had been covered by a grant, but extra work to include a fifth pole and adjustments to cater for a more complex power system bumped the price up.
Tasmania Police confirmed an incident of vandalism at the Senior Citizens Club was reported to Tasmania Police on July 17.
No other incidents of vandalism had been reported to police.
Members of the public, who want to report incidents of vandalism to the police, can call 131 444 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au
Tess Brunton
I recently returned from across the ditch where I worked at New Zealand Fairfax paper The Timaru Herald and developed a love of mountains. Originally I'm a mainlander from an area known for cheese, the Bega Valley, who also dabbled in radio at ABC RCAFF before finding a place in newspapers. I can often be found hiking, caving or climbing when I'm not cursing at my work computer or technology in general.
I recently returned from across the ditch where I worked at New Zealand Fairfax paper The Timaru Herald and developed a love of mountains. Originally I'm a mainlander from an area known for cheese, the Bega Valley, who also dabbled in radio at ABC RCAFF before finding a place in newspapers. I can often be found hiking, caving or climbing when I'm not cursing at my work computer or technology in general.
