Disgusting. Contemptible. Disturbing. Sad.
It’s difficult to choose the right word in describing the rash of vandalism we’ve seen here in Fort Frances this summer—mischief that’s not only proving costly to local taxpayers but also casting our town in a very poor light in the eyes of passing tourists.
Can you imagine stopping at a public restroom, only to find busted toilets or feces smeared on the wall? What would be your first impression of that community, and how badly would you want to return?
It doesn’t just affect tourists, of course. Turning the fountain at Lion’s Park into a sudsy mess isn’t funny when it means others cannot enjoy it while it’s being cleaned up, not to mention the time and cost involved that eventually must come out of everyone’s pocket.
Mayor Roy Avis issued a special plea at Monday night’s council meeting, asking residents to remain vigilant and report any vandalism to police. As he rightly noted, these are community assets we all own and helped pay for—and that these mindless acts are diverting the town’s limited resources away from more important tasks.
Frankly, it’s time we, as a community, put our collective foot down and say enough is enough. We have worked hard to beautify our town and create plenty of park space for the benefit of all, so why would we turn a blind eye while idiots with clearly too much time on their hands ruin it for everybody?
Vandalism is nothing new. But while tackling the root causes is as much part of the solution as cracking down on offenders, having nothing better to do is no excuse for trashing washrooms, pouring soap into fountains, and defacing buildings.
It’s behaviour that isn’t cool—and must not be tolerated. It’s time for civic pride to win the day.