PITTSFIELD, Mass. - While people looked for ways to stay keep cool amid this week's high temperatures, residents in Pittsfield had a tough time due to some recent vandalism. 

Jason Kipp and his son Everett joined the many trying to beat the heat Friday at the splash pad in The Common.

“I was excited to come to the splash pad with my son again because we haven't been here since last summer," Kipp said. "So I was kind of bummed out that it wasn't working this morning and come to find out it's broken.”

The activator button for the splash pad was recently vandalized and had the parts ripped out. Now families have to find other ways to stay cool.

“Go home and sit in air conditioning,” Kipp said.

Pittsfield’s Park & Open Space program manager Jim McGrath said it will take a couple of weeks for the splash to get back up and running.

“We have seen an uptick in vandalism across our park system over the past number of years," McGrath said. "And while we're able to respond to a lot of it and repair it and move on, you know, this one is really troubling in that the park just isn't available.”

“It's just disappointing because we've seen it just coming out minimally, the water," Pittsfield resident Ashley said. "And the kids, they enjoy the water during the hot weather. People use the courts and the splash pads in the park daily and it's being ruined by others and it's not fair to everybody. We want it here and we want people using it.”

Pittsfield’s other splash pad at Clapp Park also experienced an electrical issue with the activator button on Friday. The city said it should be fully operational next week.

In the meantime, some residents like Pug Demary turn to the city’s lakes for a spot to cool off and enjoy the view.

“We moved away a few times, we came back for this very scenic, very lovely spot right here, and Boomer (his dog) likes it too," Demary said.