Cambridge Bay elders’ gathering place vandalized
‘Every time we have an issue like that, it sets you back emotionally,’ says the hamlet’s CAO
Vandals struck the Cambridge Bay Elders Palace Tuesday and were cleaning it up all day Wednesday, said the hamlet’s chief administrative officer, Marla Limousin. (Screen shot from the Hamlet of Cambridge Bay/Facebook)
A gathering place for Cambridge Bay’s elders was trashed on Tuesday when vandals ripped doors off their hinges, threw eggs on the walls and splattered paint on leather couches, other furniture and the floor.
As well, cabinets were broken, food from cupboards and the fridge were strewn on the ground and the Anglican Church next door had graffiti spraypainted on its walls.
The hamlet’s staff found the mess at the Elders Palace — a community space that hosts events, classes for elders and camps — during their building checks at around 7 a.m., said Cambridge Bay’s chief administrative officer, Marla Limousin.
RCMP got involved and caught the minors they believe did it. The young people were in the centre all day Wednesday cleaning up the mess, Limousin said.
“That was good. They were accountable for it,” she said.
“I think lots of lessons were learned in that.… You have to see people, you know, it’s not a blank empty space.”
Vandalism has been a problem in the hamlet, said Limousin.
Last week there was a fire in the electronics section of the hamlet’s dump that caused a big fire that let off black, toxic smoke. Arson is the suspected cause of the fire, Limousin said.
And last year, elders “were in tears,” said Limousin, after an elder’s camp, called Annana’s Camp, was vandalized.
Last week a fire broke out in the hamlet’s dump’s electronic section, which let off a thick, black smoke. (Screenshot from the Hamlet of Cambridge Bay/Facebook)
“As a municipality, we try to bring things and make things and create spaces for people to enjoy. And every time we have an issue like that, it sets you back emotionally, but it also sets you back financially.”
And those were just a few examples — vandals also attempted to break into the community’s art studio and a gazebo that was built for residential school survivors, Limousin said.
“You can’t make everything bulletproof in a community,” she said. “It’s just getting too much and we as a community need to deal with it,” she said.
Do they have so much hate for the Elderly or is it because they aren’t treated the same as the Elders, I hope they don’t abuse their Elder’s in Cambridge Bay since they are the most venerable people in the World including Babies, Elder’s had gone through a lot so let them enjoy it when they have a gathering, I feel so bad for them to have to go through this, hope the ones that did that get caught, time to put a Camera at each Entrance way and every corner inside the Building, they should realize the reason why we’re here is because of the Elder’s…respect your Elder’s no matter where you live
This is what happens when parents have kids who should have no business having kids. The kids get ignored by their parents so they go out and wreak havoc on their elders and on anything they can. Time to start shaming and charging bad parents. Hold their child tax and SA checks or something.
Is there a place we can donate to help repair this awful act of violence? I would love to donate.
Bringing the problem to public attention is a start, heart rending for the seniors for sure. Maybe the children need more organized activities.
So where have all the recreation directors and all the youth advisors gone
Vacations, Duty travel ?
The DO-GOODERS and child behaviour EXPERTS have a lot to answer for !
God bless us all every one.