Some neighbours of an Aylmer park torched by vandals Tuesday night are calling for security cameras to be installed because this isn't the first case of arson at the park.

Police are investigating after one of two play structures at Aydelu Park in Aylmer was torched Tuesday night. (Ashley Burke/CBC)

Gatineau police are investigating after one of two play structures at Aydelu Park, off Lord Aylmer Street, was torched at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Traces of accelerants were found at the scene, and police said part of the cleanup may involve decontaminating the soil.

Damage to the structure is estimated at about $40,000.

Police looking for suspects

No arrests have been made and police are looking for suspects.

Faye Asselin, far right, and her grandchildren look at an Aylmer playground torched by vandals on Tuesday night. Asselin dialed 911 when the flames broke out. (Ashley Burke/CBC)

A thick plume of black smoke was spotted as far away as Tunney's Pasture in Ottawa.

Neighbour Faye Asselin said it's the second time in recent weeks that firefighters have been called out to the park to deal with arson. Last time, someone set a garbage can on fire.

"It's pretty scary," she said. "It's just surrounded by trees. If a flame got onto them it would continue onto our property and who knows what would happen. It's bad."

'It's our taxes,' neighbour says

Stephan Paape, another neighbour, said people have cinged parts of the playground for months.

"It's our taxes," Paape said. "It's something for the kids to play around with and for a couple of moments of really selfish fun, somebody decides to take a match to it and ruin it. It's really a shame."

Diane Foucault, who has lived nearby for three years, said surveillance cameras could help keep trouble away.

"Teenagers at night," Foucault said. "They bring their six-pack of beer and they go there and party at night because it's kind of a closed park so it's not visible from the road."

On Wednesday, Canadian Tire announced plans to donate $15,000 — a $10,000 corporate donation and $5,000 from an Aylmer Canadian Tire store — to help rebuild the park. The money will go toward building supplies and new playground equipment.