Editorial

Why can’t people have a good time without vandalizing property and ruining it for everyone?

This question has probably been asked a billion times all over the world, and it has likely been churning around people’s heads in Windermere of late. 

Vandals and litterbugs are debasing this fine community and giving it a bad name, and there is no excuse for it.

According to the RDEK, youth have been partying out of control by scattering garbage and vandalizing property at Windermere Beach. Sadly, the park and its facilities have been targets over the past year, which has now prompted the RDEK to beef up security patrols at additional cost.

Windermere is not alone as many communities have suffered at the hands of people who have no respect for property, let alone authority; just ask the RCMP.

Vandalism is a social phenomenon, not just a random act of ruination. It rears its ugly head through many causes, such as boredom, peer pressure, frustration, seeking recognition, and a lack of parental supervision. (Parents, do you know what your children are doing this evening?) These problems are complex and cannot be solved overnight. 

Many communities have restorative justice programs for youth where the perpetrators of minor crimes face their victims in a group setting. They explain why they committed the crime, apologize to the victim, and work out a means of restitution. These programs have been successful and continue to correct the wayward.

Another good program is the “situation table” concept where a group of local professionals (including RCMP, school district, and social welfare) reach out to vulnerable individuals to offer assistance in times of personal crisis. The Columbia Valley has its own situation table doing this type of work.

In the meantime, many communities have established other methods of addressing crime and vandalism by resorting to surveillance cameras to catch these individuals in the act, which brings up the question of right to privacy. If you’re a law-abiding citizen, you should not be worried about these cameras, but some people find them intrusive and challenge their legality.

In the end, communities must try to delve into the deep-rooted causes of vandalism before it can hope to prevent it. Strategic lighting, tougher locks, and vandal-proof receptacles are great for deterring acts of destruction, but they don’t solve the underlying problem.

Lyonel Doherty, editor