Duane Hicks
The town will have more “eyes” open for vandals inside and outside the Memorial Sports Centre in future with the addition of six surveillance cameras.
Council authorized the installation of the security gear—at a cost of $6,390,15—as a non-budgeted item at its regular meeting Monday night.
Mayor Roy Avis said quite a bit of vandalism has been done at the sports centre so far this season, particularly to seats, and the Community Services executive committee recently sat down to review the matter.
“[The committee] felt that this would be a good way in order to help track the vandalism being done in the facility and also being done at the library outside,” he noted.
“I think it’s a very good idea,” Mayor Avis added. “I have had numerous people come and talk to me regarding [vandalism]. . . .
“It’s wasting tax dollars by having damage done to that facility,” he stressed.
Community Services manager George Bell said three of the cameras will be in the seating area at the Ice For Kids Arena, with one in the ’52 Canadians Arena, one facing the new library, and one facing the skate park.
Mayor Avis said he also would like the town to make it crystal clear to visiting teams that there are rules and procedures they have to follow while using the facility, and they will be responsible for any damage incurred.
“When tournaments take place in town, we should make sure there’s a letter given to each team of participants in the tournament and explain to them the procedures that we have in our facility and if there is any damage done, what the ramifications would be,” he remarked.
“Then, there’s no surprises. I think the worst thing we can have is a surprise.”
The mayor said if the town notifies each team, damage is done, and the town subsequently takes action, the respective team can’t come back and say they didn’t know they’d be held accountable.
In addition to the damaged seats in the arenas, the new library also has experienced vandalism—ranging from broken trees to a letter stolen from its sign.
