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Victoria mayor wants more town security after memorial site vandalized

The mayor of Victoria, N.L., wants heavier surveillance in the town after the grass at the Beaver Pond Lookout Memorial Site was ripped up by what appeared to be ATV tracks.

Mayor Barry Dooley told CBC's On The Go he'd also like to meet the vandals to ask them why they did it.

"I would just like to know why. What did you get out of it?" said Dooley.

The mayor said about 95 per cent of the grass has been damaged and will have to be replaced.

Dooley said the memorial was established about a year ago by the town, in Conception Bay North, as a way to combat garbage dumping that was happening in the scenic area. It was then named after two young men who drowned in the pond in the 1950s.

Submitted by RCMP
Submitted by RCMP

"It's very unfortunate that something like this has to happen, especially when it's a place that a lot of people enjoy."

Dooley said the lookout site is surrounded by heavy boulders, which were installed purposely to keep ATVs and other motorized vehicles out. He said one of the boulders was found out of place, which leads him to believe it was more than a one-man job.

The RCMP say they received a complaint from the Town of Victoria, and are investigating the vandalism, which they believe happened sometime on Nov. 6. The mayor said there are some possible leads.

Call for heavier surveillance

This is the second case of vandalism in Victoria in recent weeks.

Six weeks ago, the public recreation centre in Victoria was heavily damaged by vandals in late September. Siding, windows and doors on the outside of the building were smashed.

Submitted by RCMP
Submitted by RCMP

Dooley said he will be asking council to consider installing security cameras in those areas.

"In the past, I have to admit, our town has been pretty passive in regards to these occurrences and we have let things slide. It is disheartening for everyone involved, and we need to make people accountable," he said.

The mayor said the damage is disheartening and expensive and a waste of taxpayers' money.

He said thousands of dollars will have to go into the public reaction centre and the lookout memorial site to get it back to the way it was.

"We just can't afford it anymore."

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