Vandals have once more defaced Centennial Park.
Earlier this month the District of 100 Mile House discovered that the stage in Centennial Park has been vandalized again, with the power sockets ripped out of their mounts. This latest act of vandalism is deeply disappointing and part of a larger trend Maureen Pinkney, the mayor of 100 Mile House, said.
“Our park is really such a jewel in our community and is pretty well used. We’ve spent time and money planting new trees, putting new roofs over the picnic tables, built the spray park and built the stage that was put off for a number of years because of the fear it may get vandalized,” Pinkney said. “It’s almost every month now where someone is doing something to that stage and it’s very disheartening.”
Pinkney said the plug-ins are there so bands can plug in their speakers during concerts, like RE/MAX 100 Mile Parks Alive Summer Music Series. She said the vandals literally pulled the plugs out of the wall and took plywood off the sides of the stage.
The most common way the stage is vandalized, Pinkney said, is with graffiti. The back especially has been tagged so many times that the district can no longer sand the wood down and has instead stained it black.
“It’s very expensive to sand down because they’re logs. We did sand it off a few times and re-stain it but because of the dark colours they use it’s impossible to colour over with a neutral colour so we just paint it dark so it’s easier to repaint,” Pinkney said. “What a shame we can’t showcase our beautiful log work because of vandalism.”
While the stage is the most popular target, it’s far from the only one. Just this year Pinkney pointed to when the newly reopened tennis/basketball court in Centennial Park was vandalized or when an individual stuck a knife in the control panel for the water park leaving it closed for days.
A big part of the problem, Pinkney said, is the fact some of the vandalism occurs in broad daylight. There have been incidents when district staff have been in the park and witnessed vandalism taking place or a concerned citizen called them to let them know.
“In our community, these things happen but I don’t know why over the last few years this particular group have decided the park is where they want to do their artwork,” Pinkney said. “We don’t want it on businesses or other buildings either.”
Despite the challenges of the situation, Pinkney said there is hope. In the New Year council is bringing back the alternative justice program in partnership with 100 Mile RCMP. The last time the district used it Pinkney said it proved to be very positive and helped stop graffiti and acts of vandalism. Oftentimes, especially when vandals are teenagers or pre-teens, the actions are more of a cry for help than an act of malice.
“Hopefully we’ll have the same results this time and the (perpetrators) are made to do their own restitution and if they don’t they come out of it with a criminal record,” Pinkey said. “It won’t just be a slap on the hand and sent home to parents anymore.”
Pinkney said that she hopes those who committed this most recent act will feel shame at their actions and stop. In the meantime, she asks the community to inform the district if they see acts of vandalism but not to intervene and put themselves at risk.
“Things can be prepared but what happens is that when a group comes to us and says ‘hey we’d like this thing in the park’ we go ‘well, you know, putting in there is one thing maintaining is something else. How much vandalism is this going to attract?” Pinkney said. “Our town loses out because people chose to do this. It creates a lasting effect on the programs we put on. It’s a sad way for a town to develop.”
