Powassan has closed off its centennial gazebo in Memorial Park after vandals took out some of the wrought iron railings and broke others sometime between Nov. 1 and 3. Councillor Roger Glabb holds one section of railing that was found leaning up against the picnic table in the centre of the structure. Full prosecution and a proposed municipal curfew are Glabb’s preferred means of dealing with the municipality’s continuing vandalism issues.
POWASSAN — Local youth may find themselves restricted to spending their late evenings at home as council looks into the possibility of instituting a new curfew bylaw.
At the Nov. 6 council meeting staff was asked to research curfew regulations in other municipalities after vandals destroyed the railings around the town’s centennial gazebo in Memorial Park. This is the second time the gazebo has been damaged, and councillor Roger Glabb is adamant that “something has to be done to stop damage to municipal property, and to personal property as well.”
Police were called on Saturday, Nov. 3 after reports of damage at the gazebo. “It appears to have happened sometime between Thursday and Friday nights,” said Glabb. “Some sections of the metal railing were taken down completely and the rest have been bent or broken. As a result, the gazebo is not safe, from a liability standpoint, and we’ve had to put fencing around it to keep people out.”
While Glabb said he didn’t like to target youth as having caused the damage, “there are bicycle tracks and skateboard marks all over the gazebo floor, and I can’t see adults doing that. As usual, there are lots of rumours on the street about kids being in there at night, but no one’s naming names.”
Whoever the perpetrators were, “they knew they were doing something wrong because the breakers to the security lighting system had been turned off,” he added. “They obviously didn’t want anyone seeing what they were up to.”
Glabb said he felt particularly sorry for those people who had taken weeks of their time to help build the structure.
“We had 11 volunteers who helped build the gazebo as a special commemorative to our 100th birthday, and as a stage for outdoor events. It's constantly being targeted by vandals. With Christmas coming, and people willing to donate lights for the park, I just don’t see the sense in trying to decorate if its going to be torn down for a senseless thrill. As it is now, unless the railings are fixed, there will be no decorations this year.”
Repair costs have been estimated as high as $3,000.
“I think the entire floor is going to have to be taken up and stronger cross supports put in to allow for larger bolts to be used to secure the railings to the base, “ Glabb said.
Similar, though less extensive damage, was done at the gazebo in 2006 with council determining to allow the culprits off with community service and cleaning up the park for winter, “and I think they had more fun playing in the leaves than anything else,” said Glabb. “But this time I want to see them prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and I want council to consider implementing a curfew, bringing back old style fundamentals where kids have to be off the streets by 11 p.m. when they should be home.”
Councillor Peter McIsaac argued against a curfew saying “I’m not in favour of it. It penalizes everyone for the acts of a few. A curfew makes everybody pay.”
Councillor Blair Beatty, however, pointed out that “everyone is paying the price now, anyway, with the gazebo closed (and if repairs are made from tax dollars). If these kids are underage, then I think we should take them to court and let the parents pay. People have to be responsible for themselves, their kids and to the rest of the taxpayers.”
McIsaac countered that “it’s not up to council to be responsible for the municipality’s parenting.”
The gazebo has not been the only target of vandalism over the past few months. “The beach has been struck three times, both the Sportsplex and the Trout Creek arena have been vandalized, private property has been vandalized and last winter arms and legs were ripped off the Christmas elves on our lamp post,” said Glabb. “This is not a parenting issue. A curfew is a means to protect municipal and private property. We have a responsibility to do something to protect our community.”
Councillor Gerry Giesler told council “I’m still holding my cards on whether or not I’m in favour of a curfew, but I do think it would be a good idea to have staff research the option and see what other municipalities are doing. That way it will come to the table for further discussion.”
Deputy-mayor Nancy Barner, who chaired the Nov. 6 meeting in the absence of Mayor Bob Young, said “I really feel this is a policing matter. We’ve seen increased vandalism across the municipality, not just in Powassan. We pay a yearly contract with the OPP and as Councillor Glabb is our council representative on the Police Services Board, I would ask him to bring this issue up and find out what is being done in terms of police patrolling and what we’re actually getting for our contracted services before penalizing everyone with a curfew.”
Glabb, however, said that “police can patrol the streets as often as they want, but as soon as they are gone, there’s no one around willing to report these incidents. Residents have to come forward. The OPP can’t be here 24/7.”
Although Barner also pointed out “there’s a cost (in staff time) to research this by-law,” Councillors Beatty, Glabb and Giesler voted to move forward with the by-law process, and further information is expected to be discussed at the Nov. 20 council meeting.
“I’m not sure how many municipalities in Ontario have a curfew, if any,” said Glabb, “but I’m willing to bet that if Powassan is the first to pass one, we won’t be the last.”
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