Vandals have again trashed the Japanese Garden at Lake Sacajawea, prompting the city to temporarily close the island garden and parks workers to lament.

The despoilers knocked out windows of the structure at the south end of the island, disrupted rocks lining the stream and ponds and smashed the wooden panels where the path to the island meets the main footpath around the lake.

A parks department worker found the damage on July 7, but it is unknown when the vandalism occurred, Longview Parks Superintendent Al George said Thursday.

“Vandalism (in city parks) is almost a daily occurrence,” George said. “The frustration is huge, and our staff tends to lose interest because of it.”

Parks officials no longer file police reports for most acts of vandalism, he said, because the volume would bog down the agency and police.

The Japanese Garden has video surveillance, but the picture was too grainy to gather useful information about the most recent act of vandalism, George said. The agency is looking into a camera upgrade.

The garden has been plagued by vandals since it opened in 2003. In May, a large lantern was destroyed in the garden, costing the city nearly $1,000 to repair.

The damage will be repaired and the park will reopen next week, George said.

Vandals also recently struck Lion’s Island at the lake. On July 14, someone tore down four metal electrical boxes used for the Lion’s Club annual Christmas light display. Lion’s Island is also closed until next week.

Nearby, someone threw a folding table and garbage can into the lake by Martin Dock.

The parks department spent 62 labor hours in 2007 repairing vandalism and 41 hours in 2008. The department has already spent 55 hours this year repairing damages.

“It’s sickening from all standpoints,” George said.