Vandals continued on along their travels last week, making Gary’s Lock shop the latest casualty of a broken window, a result of some of the unsavory evening activities in downtown Prince Rupert.
And while it’s most likely just a coincidence, this week also saw Prince Rupert City Council begin to take more of an interest in the growing problem of vandalism and downtown rowdyism.
A number of high profile incidents over the last few months have had locals talking quite a bit about a growing problem, while the reaction from city hall seems to have been muted for the most part.
The city took the question to heart at this week’s council meeting during a question and answer session with a local resident Larry Golden.
During the course of the discussion, Mayor Herb Pond announced that the city has approached a number of service organizations to address the issue of vandalism, but ruled out the prospect of a curfew for local teens, a frequently mentioned solution for some in the city.
Interestingly enough, no mention was made of returning the RCMP to a full staff situation; the local detachment has been working with reduced numbers during the last number of lean years for the city.
There was also no discussion at council of creating a Youth squad through the RCMP, which we once had in the city, nor was there any talk of directing the RCMP to perhaps reallocate some of their current resources towards the recurring problems of the downtown core. They are two possibilities that are often thought could help in trying to get a handle on the increasing problems in the city.
The approach of service organizations by the city for assistance is a process that many in the city will be watching with interest, hoping that the plan is not just a way of putting a controversial topic on the back burner until it fades from view.
Judging by the increasing amount of petty crime and vandalism that have plagued the downtown area of late, it’s most likely an issue that will stay in the public eye for the long run. One which will need to be addressed with tangible results from the city.
The Daily news examined the city’s plans in Friday’s paper.
City keen to trash vandalism epidemic
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Pages one and three
Faced with a 50 per cent increase in petty crime, the city is hoping to work with other community organizations to get out in front of the vandalism problem.
"The problem has not escaped us. Just like others in the community, public buildings are not immune," said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond.
"We have seen problems at the rec centre and city hall properties.
"It isn't up to the schools or the RCMP or any one group, it is up to all of us to get together and find some solutions."
Pond was responding to a question from Larry Golden, who asked the city what it was doing to deal with the issue.
During the summer Golden, like many other people, noticed an increase in vandalism..
The RCMP informed him that between January and September 2006, 320 acts of vandalism that each caused less than $5,000 in damage were reported. This year, during that same time period, there were 480 incidents.
“That’s 50 per cent increase,” said Golden.
While the city has put in a new camera to keep an eye on its own property, and wile it will be adding a camera to the front entrance of the Performing Arts Centre, it is not helping anyone else in the city, he said.
Golden suggested bicycle licencing and a curfew as two possible solutions.
Pond said the city has initiated a response that will hopefully bring together a number of service organizations to address the issue.
“the reality is in a small community, and I have seen this with break-and-enters, vandalism and other types of crime like that, when you are a small community, your stats really spike easily up and down based on the actions of two or three people,” he said.
“It only takes one small group of two or three people, doing home break ins for example, and your statistics go through the roof and then someone puts handcuffs on them and your statistics fall off again,” said Pond.
While he stressed action is being taken, Pond said curfews are not something the city can consider.
“You can’t discriminate based on age. You can’t say if you are 16 and under you have to be home by 9 p. m. … it’s a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Various municipalities have tried it and … it hasn’t worked,” he said. “But saying a curfew is not the answer does not mean you throw up your hands and say there is nothing that can be done. We are very much looking for solutions and looking to implement them quickly.”
Showing posts with label Vandalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vandalism. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
A Call for action on vandalism
Does something need to be done around town, before it comes to this?
While the downtown business merchants might put a Robocop on their wish list to sweep the downtown streets of all malcontents, the solution to the vandalism in Prince Rupert will most likely be a little less mechanical and more socially interactive.
Local merchants, weary of the string of vandalism in the downtown area have banded together to try and come up with a collective solution to the troublesome nature of some youth at night.
Options ranging from a private security patrol to high frequency noise generators and curfews were discussed at a recent meeting of the downtown merchants.
Of particular concern to the merchants and city residents, is the lack of accountability of the youth and the apparent lack of interest by their parents or guardians.
The curfew option seems to be the favored approach by the merchants though it was an option that the RCMP approached with caution, suggesting that it’s a development that the city government would want to become involved with.
While the merchants have a legitimate reason to be concerned about the recent spate of vandalism downtown, before we start sending waves of private security battalions onto the downtown streets, perhaps city hall could address the staffing levels of the RCMP detachment.
.
Considering the amount of increased revenue that has been generated by the vigorous approach to traffic enforcement, perhaps some of that revenue could be recycled into a youth squad for the downtown area at night and increased numbers for the always interesting bar crowd scene .
That is an issue for city council to debate; they are the ones that have reduced the staffing levels of the detachment over the last few years. Clearly there is a need for a new approach to policing the downtown area as the residents can see that there is a problem, now its up to city council to take the advice of the citizens (and voters!).
Setting up a squad of officers that would become a fixture on the street scene in the evening could become a very proactive approach to the problem. They would be able to identify the troublemakers and move them along. At the same time they could develop a relationship with those youth who may be on the street for no other reason than it’s a safer place than their homes.
There also needs to be some kind of support system in place for those kids that have no safe place to return to, something that is probably beyond the reach of the city and would require provincial and federal invovlement.
While a curfew sounds like a quick fix, it’s really not the ultimate solution to the problem. For it tends to punish the good kids, for the misdeeds of a small number of troublemakers. That being said, parents or guardians need to become more involved and accountable for what their children are doing on the streets late at night. There is really no real reason for a teenager to be out wandering the streets after 11 pm or midnight.
But in the short term there is a desire to try and reclaim the downtown area and re-establish the area as one that isn't to be trashed by bored or impaired offenders.
The downtown vandalism and rowdyism problem isn’t limited to just teenagers however, a trip downtown to survey the bar scene at closing time on a late night, will show a different Prince Rupert than many residents might recognize.
Providing the resources to the RCMP to enforce a zero tolerance approach to the issue might go a long way to reducing the problems in the downtown area.
This week’s edition of the Northern View featured some of the ideas from the downtown merchants.
Merchants seek a vandalism solution
By Brooke Ward The Northern View
Oct 10 2007
Responding to an overwhelming string of vandalism throughout the downtown core, several business owners throughout the community assembled last week to brainstorm solutions for the increasingly costly problem.
Addressing primarily the issue of hoards of youth congregating in downtown parking lots, alleyways and street corners at all hours of the night, the business owners sought to find viable solutions for the problem which, according to them, goes largely unnoticed in the community.
.
Citing a lack of respect for authority and others’ property amongst these adolescents and an even more troubling lack of accountability for young offenders in the judicial system, the business owners say they’re tired of shelling out their hard earned money on window repairs and shoplifted goods.
The gathered individuals expressed a desire for a more visible RCMP presence during bar crowd, saying that it wasn’t enough for their squad cars to be parked along the high activity areas. The area needs beat cops and bike patrol, say the local business owners.
The merchants discussed the idea of the formation of a Prince Rupert Merchants Association that could hire private security guards to patrol the downtown core at night. Several other ideas surfaced including the installation of high frequency sound devices like those used in many places throughout the United Kingdom to ward off troublesome youth. Audible rarely to those over the age of 20, the sound is not painful, but so bothersome that teenagers cannot stand it for very long.
Perhaps the most controversial of suggestions, however, was the implementation of a downtown curfew for youth, which was seemingly favored by the merchants.
Although in theory a good approach because it gives the police officers the authority to remove kids from the downtown late at night, it can also be more like a dispersal of the problems says RCMP Sergeant Pierre Lemaitre, who is responsible for provincial strategic communications.
.
“Something like that, which would restrict the liberties of individuals, even though they’re young people, is something that obviously the municipal government has to be involved with because they represent the citizens.”
If that were to be a solution that the residents of Prince Rupert felt like testing the RCMP would be right on board, though, says Lemaitre.
“Certainly the RCMP wants to be a part of the solution. We want to be at the table, we are a part of the community.”
Lemaitre emphasizes that the other key component at the table are the youth themselves.
“The youth groups that are involved in the community, that are proactive need to be included in the discussions because they will bring great insight into what’s happening. They have the essence of a barometer,” he said.
“The sad part is that [the damage] is the work of probably such a small minority of kids and the fact is that there are a lot of other great kids out there and its frustrating for them because it gives them a bad name.”
Like the merchants, Lemaitre sees poor leadership and lack of parental involvement and accountability as contributors to the problem.
“Realistically they shouldn’t be out on the street at that time of night, but maybe the fact is that we need to address the underlying issue and give them somewhere to be or something to do.”
While the downtown business merchants might put a Robocop on their wish list to sweep the downtown streets of all malcontents, the solution to the vandalism in Prince Rupert will most likely be a little less mechanical and more socially interactive.
Local merchants, weary of the string of vandalism in the downtown area have banded together to try and come up with a collective solution to the troublesome nature of some youth at night.
Options ranging from a private security patrol to high frequency noise generators and curfews were discussed at a recent meeting of the downtown merchants.
Of particular concern to the merchants and city residents, is the lack of accountability of the youth and the apparent lack of interest by their parents or guardians.
The curfew option seems to be the favored approach by the merchants though it was an option that the RCMP approached with caution, suggesting that it’s a development that the city government would want to become involved with.
While the merchants have a legitimate reason to be concerned about the recent spate of vandalism downtown, before we start sending waves of private security battalions onto the downtown streets, perhaps city hall could address the staffing levels of the RCMP detachment.
.
Considering the amount of increased revenue that has been generated by the vigorous approach to traffic enforcement, perhaps some of that revenue could be recycled into a youth squad for the downtown area at night and increased numbers for the always interesting bar crowd scene .
That is an issue for city council to debate; they are the ones that have reduced the staffing levels of the detachment over the last few years. Clearly there is a need for a new approach to policing the downtown area as the residents can see that there is a problem, now its up to city council to take the advice of the citizens (and voters!).
Setting up a squad of officers that would become a fixture on the street scene in the evening could become a very proactive approach to the problem. They would be able to identify the troublemakers and move them along. At the same time they could develop a relationship with those youth who may be on the street for no other reason than it’s a safer place than their homes.
There also needs to be some kind of support system in place for those kids that have no safe place to return to, something that is probably beyond the reach of the city and would require provincial and federal invovlement.
While a curfew sounds like a quick fix, it’s really not the ultimate solution to the problem. For it tends to punish the good kids, for the misdeeds of a small number of troublemakers. That being said, parents or guardians need to become more involved and accountable for what their children are doing on the streets late at night. There is really no real reason for a teenager to be out wandering the streets after 11 pm or midnight.
But in the short term there is a desire to try and reclaim the downtown area and re-establish the area as one that isn't to be trashed by bored or impaired offenders.
The downtown vandalism and rowdyism problem isn’t limited to just teenagers however, a trip downtown to survey the bar scene at closing time on a late night, will show a different Prince Rupert than many residents might recognize.
Providing the resources to the RCMP to enforce a zero tolerance approach to the issue might go a long way to reducing the problems in the downtown area.
This week’s edition of the Northern View featured some of the ideas from the downtown merchants.
Merchants seek a vandalism solution
By Brooke Ward The Northern View
Oct 10 2007
Responding to an overwhelming string of vandalism throughout the downtown core, several business owners throughout the community assembled last week to brainstorm solutions for the increasingly costly problem.
Addressing primarily the issue of hoards of youth congregating in downtown parking lots, alleyways and street corners at all hours of the night, the business owners sought to find viable solutions for the problem which, according to them, goes largely unnoticed in the community.
.
Citing a lack of respect for authority and others’ property amongst these adolescents and an even more troubling lack of accountability for young offenders in the judicial system, the business owners say they’re tired of shelling out their hard earned money on window repairs and shoplifted goods.
The gathered individuals expressed a desire for a more visible RCMP presence during bar crowd, saying that it wasn’t enough for their squad cars to be parked along the high activity areas. The area needs beat cops and bike patrol, say the local business owners.
The merchants discussed the idea of the formation of a Prince Rupert Merchants Association that could hire private security guards to patrol the downtown core at night. Several other ideas surfaced including the installation of high frequency sound devices like those used in many places throughout the United Kingdom to ward off troublesome youth. Audible rarely to those over the age of 20, the sound is not painful, but so bothersome that teenagers cannot stand it for very long.
Perhaps the most controversial of suggestions, however, was the implementation of a downtown curfew for youth, which was seemingly favored by the merchants.
Although in theory a good approach because it gives the police officers the authority to remove kids from the downtown late at night, it can also be more like a dispersal of the problems says RCMP Sergeant Pierre Lemaitre, who is responsible for provincial strategic communications.
.
“Something like that, which would restrict the liberties of individuals, even though they’re young people, is something that obviously the municipal government has to be involved with because they represent the citizens.”
If that were to be a solution that the residents of Prince Rupert felt like testing the RCMP would be right on board, though, says Lemaitre.
“Certainly the RCMP wants to be a part of the solution. We want to be at the table, we are a part of the community.”
Lemaitre emphasizes that the other key component at the table are the youth themselves.
“The youth groups that are involved in the community, that are proactive need to be included in the discussions because they will bring great insight into what’s happening. They have the essence of a barometer,” he said.
“The sad part is that [the damage] is the work of probably such a small minority of kids and the fact is that there are a lot of other great kids out there and its frustrating for them because it gives them a bad name.”
Like the merchants, Lemaitre sees poor leadership and lack of parental involvement and accountability as contributors to the problem.
“Realistically they shouldn’t be out on the street at that time of night, but maybe the fact is that we need to address the underlying issue and give them somewhere to be or something to do.”
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Vandalism still a problem for School District 52
With a new school year just nicely underway, School District 52 was proudly listing off some of the improvements made over the summer to the local centres of education.
From improved drainage, to new boilers and roofs, the summer months proved to be productive ones for the maintenance branch of the school district.
However, while there have been many new improvements made to area schools and old problem has continued to plague the School District that of vandalism to school properties, vandals and troublemakers had a busy summer as well as they wreaked havoc at a number of school properties across the city.
The Daily News featured details on all of the summer season positives and negatives in a front page story in Thursday's paper.
NEW ROOFS COVER STUDENTS RETURNING FROM SUMMER OFF
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Pages one and three
The Daily News
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Pages one and three
Thoughts of what has gone on in Prince Rupert schools during the summer months is probably the last thing on most people's minds when they drop off children for class in September.
Yet there's a tremendous amount of work that needs to take place in schools between the end of June and beginning of September, most of which isn't possible when hundreds of kids are running around five days a week.
School District 52 Director of Operations Frank Shale is the man who oversees all of the work that happens in District 52's schools, and there was plenty of it to keep him and his staff occupied all summer.
"This year there were four roofing projects, one of which still has to be done because of weather conditions," said Shale. "The big painting jobs we did were painting all the hallways at Charles Hays and Prince Rupert Secondary School. The renovation at the science prep-lab at PRSS was a decent-sized project too, because of all the chemicals and acids that have been used in there over the years it needed a really good clean-up and renovation."
The number of projects that were completed is hard to fathom when looking at a detailed list of each school in Prince Rupert. Many schools had their windows cleaned and gym floors refinished, and all schools received their annual Fire Protection Services inspection to ensure all fire alarm systems, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers were operating properly.
Charles Hays had its lighting system upgraded to the new B.C. Power Smart Lighting system, Kanata had one of its raw sewage pumps repaired, and Roosevelt received a drainage system on the main entrance road courtesy of the city, which will help alleviate washouts.
"One project that I would say was a real benefit to a school would have been the replacement of the old gas furnaces in the old kindergarten and Grade 3 room at Conrad Elementary," said Shale. "It was a new small boiler and fresh air ventilation system that was put in there, so it's going to significantly cut gas costs, and as far as air quality goes it's far better and will eliminate all the old problems they were having."
One thing that has continued to be a problem for nearly all schools in the district is vandalism. Lax Kxeen had graffiti removed twice in August, Port Ed had two areas cleaned for graffiti at the back of the school, and the district's blue cube van was vandalized twice in the month of August.
In July, vandals did extensive damage to the Conrad playground by setting parts of it on fire as well as damaging a school surveillance camera.
Pineridge had an outdoor surveillance camera damaged by youths, and PRSS was the victim of extensive vandalism in July, when the school was paintballed, had three skylights cracked and smashed, and two doors broken. Vandalism cost District 52 $6,000 in materials and labour for the month of July, something Shale was obviously dismayed about.
"Nobody can remember vandalism around the schools the way it's been since this spring, and the Civic Centre can also attest to that," said Shale.
"We clean the graffiti off, but it stains the surface of the buildings, and the only way you can correct that is by painting. We ran out of time and weather this summer to paint it all, and we just couldn't keep up with graffiti removal."
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Frustration over vandalism boils over
The ongoing problem of vandalism in Prince Rupert has pushed one local business owner to rather drastic measures to get the message out that enough is enough.
Data Boy, the Third Avenue computer shop suffered a broken window on Monday evening, leading the owner to post his message for city council prominently in the space that once held a plate glass window.
Rob Vallee, who has been victimized in the past by vandals, wrote on plywood an accounting of the cost of each vandals attack and the cost of doing business in a city that he feels isn't doing enough to tackle the problem.
The local on line site htmf, has seen numerous participants engage in a debate over the issue of vandalism in the city, with one regular poster providing a picture of Mr. Vallee's sign and plea to city council to take some action.
Petro Canada on Hays Cove is another location that frequently seems to be a target of vandals, and once again passers by can see plywood in place of glass at the entrance to the gas and convenience station.
In addition to the the acts of vandalism, there have been a number of arson's set recently, giving residents cause to wonder who is responsible for the acts and who might be responsible for those that are committing them.
Wednesday's Daily News had details on the Data Boy incident, which according to the owner resulted in the participants being released from the police station and managing to make it back downtown before he did.
The latest incident and the reaction to it, highlights a problem that seems to be getting harder and harder for local residents to accept . City council may wish to take note, for it seems that there is a bit of a backlash brewing and frustrations that go unresolved; sometimes find comfort when it comes time to mark an x on a ballot.
Store owner calls for vandalism crackdown
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The apparent increase in the amount of senseless vandalism and mischief in Prince Rupert has driven one local business owner to put a sign in his store window proclaiming: "window $1,500, prop. tax $6,000, city not caring about youth vandalism - priceless. Welcome to Prince Rupert".
.
Rob Vallee, owner of DataBoy computer store on Third Avenue West, put up the sign after having his storefront window broken on Monday night, the second time it had happened during the summer.
"My glass alarm was actually shut off, because about five times a week kids will come by and bang on the window and the alarm will go off," said Vallee.
"The police charge you $130 every time they show up, and there's no leeway on that because they say it's a false alarm."
After a citizen saw his window was smashed this week, he got a call at home. He went to the police station to find out if the RCMP was going to arrest the two youths they picked up who were responsible for vandalizing the window.
"The cops said they didn't know where their parents were, so I asked what they were going to do with them," explained Vallee.
"He told me: 'well, I'm going to have to let them go. One said he pushed the other into the window'. So I get back downtown and they were back downtown and they were yelling at me."
.
While Vallee is upset that little appears to have been done from a policing standpoint about his window, which will cost him $1,500 to replace, he's more upset that he pays $6,000 in annual property taxes but is still charged for so-called "false alarms".
"My building is appraised at $130,000, but even after it's paid off you're still paying $500 a month for the building just in tax, and what do you get for it?"
The RCMP has three officers on duty at night. Vallee wants more.
"I think, at least, there should be more patrolling of downtown, and possibly a curfew," he said.
"Thirteen-year-old kids shouldn't be out at 1 a.m. I'd be mad if my 13-year-old kid got into trouble and they released him back on the street because he said he didn't know where I was. I'd be mad."
Data Boy, the Third Avenue computer shop suffered a broken window on Monday evening, leading the owner to post his message for city council prominently in the space that once held a plate glass window.
Rob Vallee, who has been victimized in the past by vandals, wrote on plywood an accounting of the cost of each vandals attack and the cost of doing business in a city that he feels isn't doing enough to tackle the problem.
The local on line site htmf, has seen numerous participants engage in a debate over the issue of vandalism in the city, with one regular poster providing a picture of Mr. Vallee's sign and plea to city council to take some action.
Petro Canada on Hays Cove is another location that frequently seems to be a target of vandals, and once again passers by can see plywood in place of glass at the entrance to the gas and convenience station.
In addition to the the acts of vandalism, there have been a number of arson's set recently, giving residents cause to wonder who is responsible for the acts and who might be responsible for those that are committing them.
Wednesday's Daily News had details on the Data Boy incident, which according to the owner resulted in the participants being released from the police station and managing to make it back downtown before he did.
The latest incident and the reaction to it, highlights a problem that seems to be getting harder and harder for local residents to accept . City council may wish to take note, for it seems that there is a bit of a backlash brewing and frustrations that go unresolved; sometimes find comfort when it comes time to mark an x on a ballot.
Store owner calls for vandalism crackdown
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The apparent increase in the amount of senseless vandalism and mischief in Prince Rupert has driven one local business owner to put a sign in his store window proclaiming: "window $1,500, prop. tax $6,000, city not caring about youth vandalism - priceless. Welcome to Prince Rupert".
.
Rob Vallee, owner of DataBoy computer store on Third Avenue West, put up the sign after having his storefront window broken on Monday night, the second time it had happened during the summer.
"My glass alarm was actually shut off, because about five times a week kids will come by and bang on the window and the alarm will go off," said Vallee.
"The police charge you $130 every time they show up, and there's no leeway on that because they say it's a false alarm."
After a citizen saw his window was smashed this week, he got a call at home. He went to the police station to find out if the RCMP was going to arrest the two youths they picked up who were responsible for vandalizing the window.
"The cops said they didn't know where their parents were, so I asked what they were going to do with them," explained Vallee.
"He told me: 'well, I'm going to have to let them go. One said he pushed the other into the window'. So I get back downtown and they were back downtown and they were yelling at me."
.
While Vallee is upset that little appears to have been done from a policing standpoint about his window, which will cost him $1,500 to replace, he's more upset that he pays $6,000 in annual property taxes but is still charged for so-called "false alarms".
"My building is appraised at $130,000, but even after it's paid off you're still paying $500 a month for the building just in tax, and what do you get for it?"
The RCMP has three officers on duty at night. Vallee wants more.
"I think, at least, there should be more patrolling of downtown, and possibly a curfew," he said.
"Thirteen-year-old kids shouldn't be out at 1 a.m. I'd be mad if my 13-year-old kid got into trouble and they released him back on the street because he said he didn't know where I was. I'd be mad."
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Vandalism continues to cause problems for the city
The summer has turned into a rather rough one for city workers trying to keep fountains and cameras operating around city operations, as well as tending to gardens in full bloom.
A burst of vandalism of late across the city, has many at city hall wondering what can be done to protect civic property and rein in those that seem to have nothing but wanton destruction on their minds these days.
The Daily News examined the latest high profile bit of destruction, last weeks attack on the flower beds at City hall.
VANDALS RUIN CITY’S FLOWER BEDS
Floral displays trashed leading to draining of colour from the city
By Christian Webber
The Daily News
Monday, August 20, 2007
Page one
If you are wondering why Prince Rupert’s city hall has started to remove flowerbeds early this year it is because of vandalism overnight on Thurs. Aug 16.
Donna Drury, the head gardener for the city said we have a lot of vandalism with the flowerbeds throughout the season but this time they totally wrote off one bed.
“People are going to be wondering why there are no flowers in that bed anymore. It’s not because we’re pulling them early, they got totally destroyed,” said Drury.
She said the beds were damaged beyond repair. Whoever is responsible is doing it through the night, some of the planters near the credit union have also been destroyed, said Drury.
There has already been people going into city hall and complaining that the flowers are being pulled early.
“There are surveillance cameras on one side, but it seems like after the cameras go up, activity shifts to another side,” said Drury.
She said everything by the fountains was destroyed in recent years, so she doesn’t even plant there anymore.
“I want the townspeople to see what’s going on, they think we have no vandalism and it goes on everyday,” said Drury.
She said it is very unusual that we don’t have vandalism somewhere in the city on any given day.
“We have a real bad problem with it here. I don’t know why,” said Drury.
She said she didn’t want to put a dollar amount on the damage, but said the city does suffer a lot of vandalism and if they were to add it up at the end of the year, it would be staggering.
“On this one, the flowers are one thing, but the maintenance to look after them, it’s considerable. Every time we end up pulling a bed at this time of the year, they could have been in there for another two months, and now I’ve got no flowers to replace in there, so we’re going to be looking at dirt,” said Drury.
“It’s really unfortunate, once they’re damaged they are gone for the season.”
She said the city does replacements in the beds from vandalism throughout the summer but they have run out of plants for the year.
A burst of vandalism of late across the city, has many at city hall wondering what can be done to protect civic property and rein in those that seem to have nothing but wanton destruction on their minds these days.
The Daily News examined the latest high profile bit of destruction, last weeks attack on the flower beds at City hall.
VANDALS RUIN CITY’S FLOWER BEDS
Floral displays trashed leading to draining of colour from the city
By Christian Webber
The Daily News
Monday, August 20, 2007
Page one
If you are wondering why Prince Rupert’s city hall has started to remove flowerbeds early this year it is because of vandalism overnight on Thurs. Aug 16.
Donna Drury, the head gardener for the city said we have a lot of vandalism with the flowerbeds throughout the season but this time they totally wrote off one bed.
“People are going to be wondering why there are no flowers in that bed anymore. It’s not because we’re pulling them early, they got totally destroyed,” said Drury.
She said the beds were damaged beyond repair. Whoever is responsible is doing it through the night, some of the planters near the credit union have also been destroyed, said Drury.
There has already been people going into city hall and complaining that the flowers are being pulled early.
“There are surveillance cameras on one side, but it seems like after the cameras go up, activity shifts to another side,” said Drury.
She said everything by the fountains was destroyed in recent years, so she doesn’t even plant there anymore.
“I want the townspeople to see what’s going on, they think we have no vandalism and it goes on everyday,” said Drury.
She said it is very unusual that we don’t have vandalism somewhere in the city on any given day.
“We have a real bad problem with it here. I don’t know why,” said Drury.
She said she didn’t want to put a dollar amount on the damage, but said the city does suffer a lot of vandalism and if they were to add it up at the end of the year, it would be staggering.
“On this one, the flowers are one thing, but the maintenance to look after them, it’s considerable. Every time we end up pulling a bed at this time of the year, they could have been in there for another two months, and now I’ve got no flowers to replace in there, so we’re going to be looking at dirt,” said Drury.
“It’s really unfortunate, once they’re damaged they are gone for the season.”
She said the city does replacements in the beds from vandalism throughout the summer but they have run out of plants for the year.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Prince George vandals destroy Terry Fox statue
Vandalism is becoming more and more of a problem everywhere in the province, including Prince Rupert where recent days have seen vandals busy spray painting around the city, knocking over mail boxes, breaking windows or trying to knock over fixtures around the City hall fountain area.
The CBC website is profiling a rather high visibility target in the Central Interior which has been touched by vandalism. The latest high profile to be the target of a mindless attack being the city's statue in commemoration of Terry Fox. Prince George RCMP suspect that the target this time was selected for its value on the scrap metal market.
Ironically for the vandals, the statue itself isn't made of metal at all but a fibreglass composite with bronze flecking. There are no suspects in the case that has dismayed local residents who remembered the Canadian icon fondly.
It's yet another growing sign of dsirespect for common values and a worrisome indication at the mindset of those that seem to want to cause as much trouble as possible, without fear of any real consequences.
Terry Fox statue in central B.C. defaced beyond repair
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 5:14 PM PT
CBC News
A Terry Fox statue in Prince George has been vandalized beyond repair in what police believe was an attempt to sell scrap metal for money.
RCMP Const. Gary Godwin said the culprits made off with part of the statue's head.
"That's what they probably thought it was, a bronze statue," he said. "However, it's not a bronze statue. It's some sort of a plastic fibreglass resin with some bronze filing mixed in."
'It appears that nothing is sacred anymore.'— Dick Voneugen
Dick Voneugen, who said he was inspired by a chance meeting with Fox at a marathon long ago, helped bring the statue to downtown Prince George.
He said the community warmly welcomed the statue and some good citizen actually put a hat and scarf on the statue to keep Fox warm last winter.
Voneugen told CBC News he's appalled someone showed such disrespect by attacking "our national hero."
"It's unbelievable that this could happen," he said. "We're totally surprised. It appears that nothing is sacred anymore."
Godwin said vandals drew swastikas and a moustache on the statue, in addition to knocking off part of the head.
Voneugen said the statue is beyond repair and it will cost thousands of dollars to replace it.
The city is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
Fox tried to run across the country on an artificial leg in 1980, in an effort to raise money for cancer research.
He had to abandon the run when his cancer returned, and he died soon after.
Prince Geroge Citizen story
Prince George Free Press story
The CBC website is profiling a rather high visibility target in the Central Interior which has been touched by vandalism. The latest high profile to be the target of a mindless attack being the city's statue in commemoration of Terry Fox. Prince George RCMP suspect that the target this time was selected for its value on the scrap metal market.
Ironically for the vandals, the statue itself isn't made of metal at all but a fibreglass composite with bronze flecking. There are no suspects in the case that has dismayed local residents who remembered the Canadian icon fondly.
It's yet another growing sign of dsirespect for common values and a worrisome indication at the mindset of those that seem to want to cause as much trouble as possible, without fear of any real consequences.
Terry Fox statue in central B.C. defaced beyond repair
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 5:14 PM PT
CBC News
A Terry Fox statue in Prince George has been vandalized beyond repair in what police believe was an attempt to sell scrap metal for money.
RCMP Const. Gary Godwin said the culprits made off with part of the statue's head.
"That's what they probably thought it was, a bronze statue," he said. "However, it's not a bronze statue. It's some sort of a plastic fibreglass resin with some bronze filing mixed in."
'It appears that nothing is sacred anymore.'— Dick Voneugen
Dick Voneugen, who said he was inspired by a chance meeting with Fox at a marathon long ago, helped bring the statue to downtown Prince George.
He said the community warmly welcomed the statue and some good citizen actually put a hat and scarf on the statue to keep Fox warm last winter.
Voneugen told CBC News he's appalled someone showed such disrespect by attacking "our national hero."
"It's unbelievable that this could happen," he said. "We're totally surprised. It appears that nothing is sacred anymore."
Godwin said vandals drew swastikas and a moustache on the statue, in addition to knocking off part of the head.
Voneugen said the statue is beyond repair and it will cost thousands of dollars to replace it.
The city is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
Fox tried to run across the country on an artificial leg in 1980, in an effort to raise money for cancer research.
He had to abandon the run when his cancer returned, and he died soon after.
Prince Geroge Citizen story
Prince George Free Press story
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