SUMMERSIDE - Preston MacDonald was on his daily walk recently when he came across something he found shocking and disturbing.
He and a friend were strolling along Summerside's boardwalk when they noticed graffiti, and lots of it.
Most disturbing to the former military man was a swastika, considered a symbol of hate, spray painted in plain view on the boardwalk's planks on Harbour Drive.
"I was outraged. Absolutely outraged," said MacDonald.
It's not the first time he's noticed vandalism at the boardwalk. Several lights behind Wendy's restaurant and at the red bridge have been broken for some time. Further west, obvious attempts have been made to smash lights protected by metal mesh.
"It's a shame that people have to vandalize (the boardwalk) like that," said MacDonald. "It's one of the better things that the City of Summerside has done for its people."
MacDonald reported the damage to police.
On Tuesday, workers with the city's community services department were scrubbing away the paint.
Deputy police Chief David Griffin regularly uses the boardwalk and has seen the graffiti and broken lights. He said besides patrolling the area, there's little police can do to curb the problem.
"You just have to get lucky and catch these guys with the paint."
Some have been caught red-handed and charges laid. Unfortunately, most of the vandalism, including graffiti, is done under the veil of darkness.
Almost on a daily basis the city's parks supervisor Trent Williams gets calls reporting graffiti, especially at Queen Elizabeth and Rotary Friendship parks.
Williams said it often takes hours of scrubbing with strong, expensive chemicals, or, in more severe cases, paint to get rid of the damage.
"We spent more time this year than in previous years getting rid of graffiti."
As winter approaches and Williams' staff is decreased, finding the time to clean up graffiti becomes increasingly difficult.
"I'll be down to one union and one non-union employee," he said. "Last year, we had graffiti on the poles on the boardwalk. I just did (the cleanup) myself."
Williams called the vandalism destructive and suggested getting youth to help pick up garbage, repair damage or scrub away markings would act as a deterrent.
"It is a concern."
But, he admitted, "I really don't know what the answer is. It's very, very discouraging."
As for MacDonald, he feels police need to beef up patrols and, at night, park in areas that have been repeatedly vandalized.
Griffin said the public must report graffiti and other vandalism as it happens.
"Call us anytime. But they're hard to catch," he adds.
For example Tuesday afternoon, police responded to a complaint of a youth smashing lights along the boardwalk behind Wendy's. When they arrived on the scene, the youth was gone.
Summerside graffiti on the rise
David MacDonald with the citys community services department, was busy cleaning up graffiti on the boardwalk Tuesday. Luckily, the spray paint used didnt seep into the wood, so it was removed with chemical cleaners. Nancy MacPhee/Journal Pioneer
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- Published on November 25th, 2009
- Published on June 20th, 2010
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Nancy MacPhee
SUMMERSIDE - Preston MacDonald was on his daily walk recently when he came across something he found shocking and disturbing.
He and a friend were strolling along Summerside's boardwalk when they noticed graffiti, and lots of it.
Most disturbing to the former military man was a swastika, considered a symbol of hate, spray painted in plain view on the boardwalk's planks on Harbour Drive.
"I was outraged. Absolutely outraged," said MacDonald.
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Comments
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- Stephen
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:08:12
I have the solution. Hidden Web Camera's...everywhere! And signs warning that the areas are under video surveillance. It would be a lot cheaper and more practical than have our police spend their time patrolling the board walk. Our city needs to use technology to it's advantage.
If they're doing the painting in dark areas....simple...add more light. -
- no no no
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:07:36
God forbide we discipline our children,I hope all you lefties out thier who dont agree with spankings and or disciplining unresponsible parents that choose not to raise and teach there kids are happy.These kids need a message and the message should not read,,YOU ARE A JUVENILE NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU IF YOU ARE CAUGHT,,,,what ever happened to reform school,thet was a pretty good detterent when I was a kid,,noone wanted to get in trouble,your dad would kick ur butt and the police would do the rest,then maybe it was a jaunt in reform school where you were taught to ,,,respect,behave and finish your shool work with a curfew,,,ahhh the good old days when it wasnt against the law to teach right from wrong,,,now boys can marry boys,,girls marry girls and kids can and do kill with no remorse,,please someone here tell me where it went wrong,,,,,,,please tell me
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- Sam
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:06:54
I don't understand why the City's community services department has to clean it up. I am sure there are plenty of young offenders or others in custody that could be doing this cleaning up. It is such a shame. Maybe the city should hire a few officers for night patrol only or better still install cameras' in the troubled spots around the boardwalk. Just a thought.
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- Linda
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:06:08
I just thank God I am Not a teen these days! Less Positive interaction with parents - they're too busy. Too much time in front of a computer OR with Nothing to do. They aren't even allowed to hangout in Vacant parking lots!
It's Ridiculous how WE treat our Most Valuable REsource and then we Expect them to act better than the examples we provide.
There is More worry in the world and fewer Community mechanisms to Cope in a Healthy manner. There is Less Hope than ever in the world .. and again we expect our youth to behave As If ..
Many of our Most Valuable Resource are Damaged (by us), they are terrified - because of Us, so many have fallen prey to addictions, low self worth .. All the symptoms of a society that spews words with no action - Our Most Valuable Resource - Time WE started giving them the Attention that is Appropriate to that title.
:( -
- islander
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:05:12
In my opinion any of these kids that get caught should be fined and make to clean up graffiti. Maybe once they realize that it costs money to fix things and how hard it is to remove it they might think twice before doing it again.
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- Miles
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:05:08
Rob, putting cameras at the paint stores (there already is) isnt going to do much in the in the way of deterring vandalism. Peolple who spray paint swastikas, sex organs and the like arent going out and buying a can of paint simply to draw this stuff the next night. They do it with paint from daddys garage while they are drunk.
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- makes no difference
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:05:05
What do you expect. We have no justice system on this Island and these people know it. Even if they are caught which is highly unlikely the judge will tell them to go home and be nice.
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- Bill
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:04:44
This makes me sick. We get something nice in our city, like the boardwalk and some dough heads destroy it or vandalize it with graffiti. This is obviously the work of idol youth. And its probably the only work they know. These youths are the product of slack parenting and were never taught any morals or anything about respecting property.
If these idiots are caught, them and their
parents should be locked up for awhile.
This would give them an opportunity to
learn some morals and values. -
- RANDY
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:04:30
As I said before, all kids should be sent to Military school when they reach 13.
That's where they'll learn discipline and respect. -
- Rob
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:04:11
simple solution
- city has $, put remote cameras at all the paint stores, maybe 5 total.
- offer a reward of $5000 for evidence that leads to conviction
- minimum fine for conviction would be $7500 plus property damages. This would pay for the cameras and the rewards.
I am sure local insurance companies would like to help out. This is simple property damage - not art.
