Editorial: Park damage a community failure

The Morrisburg Waterfront Park saw an incredible amount of damage overnight Monday (June 10) with thousands of dollars in property damaged or destroyed by the senseless acts of individuals. As reported this week in The Leader, vandals snapped or damaged over 20 young trees in the centre of the waterfront park, damaged the railings of the central lookout platform, and stole the memorial plaques from two benches. It is a disgusting and shameful amount of damage to community efforts to maintain and improve the park.

The damage is just the latest in an onslaught of vandalism in the park areas of the municipality. Last week, one of the splash pad washrooms at Earl Baker Park was torched by a fire started in a garbage can. Railings have been damaged multiple times, and often municipal crews are called to fish park items not fastened down out of the St. Lawrence River.

It has been reported in this paper and others for decades the efforts made to plan and execute improvements to our parks. Those efforts are largely volunteer-based, and donation-funded. Destruction of this sort deflates the spirit of those who put the time, effort, and money into these community assets.

The perpetrators of this latest round of vandalism have not yet been caught. Often those responsible are not discovered, leaving the community to repair the damage, and foot the bill. As distressing as these actions are with blame laid against those who commit said actions, there is also a failure in the community when this happens.

The park is visible day and night thanks to pathway lighting, and the space is openly visible to neighbours. Did no one see anything happening and report it? Morrisburg is home to an OPP detachment office.Are public assets like large waterfront parks not part of a regular patrol route? A little visibility can go a long way in deterrence.

We do not know who committed these actions. It is easy to blame youth as there is anecdotal and statistical evidence that points to crimes of this nature being committed by youth. It is not a fair stereotype. If this damage was accomplished by youth, where were the parents who should know what their kids are up to?

Looking more widely at that issue, outside of sports – many of which run during the day not night – what is there for youth to do? South Dundas has had a youth advisory committee for two terms of council. A recreation plan and a youth survey was completed in the previous term – where is the action? Many small communities have youth evening programs which provide options that do not involve torching washrooms or snapping trees.

Community assets like our parks deserve to be respected by everyone and it is time that everyone took an interest in helping protect those assets. Or else, there is no point in having them.

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