Perth County OPP Community Services officer, Constable Kees Wijnands, agrees it would be easier to discourage vandalism to the Milt Dunnell Field Christmas displays if there was better lighting in the park. But he also admits any decision about lighting would have to fit into “the big picture” of municipal services.
The issue arose after another of the displays was vandalized some time on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Police were summoned to the far end of the roadway through the Flats by a resident; the resident, after alerting police to the fact the Triceratops dinosaur display had been uprooted and pushed to the ground, suggested the OPP pressure the town for better lighting in the area.
The incident came on the heels of the complete removal of two other displays on Dec. 13 or 14. All the lights from those two displays were recovered “in an open area” near the park in late December, while one of the frames from that incident has so far been recovered from the nearby Thames River.
“It’s not surprising where it happened,” Wijnands said of the most recent incident. “It was the same corner, same darkened area of the park, expect whoever did it just pushed (the display) over this time.”
An OPP news release explained the lights were still working on the display when police were summoned. But “unknown persons used substantial force to knock the display out of its rooted stands.” And, rather than re-install the stand for the short duration of time the Christmas display would still be running, the Town of St. Marys Public Works department opted instead to unhook the Triceratops and take it into storage.
“Of course, I’m not going to say, ‘No, we wouldn’t like to see better lighting in that area’,” Wijnands told the Journal Argus last week. “I always see lighting as a possible answer.” After all, other valuable Town--owned property — including the lawn bowling greens and the Flats shelter — could also be better protected from vandalism.
“But you have to weigh everything into the big picture.” For example, he said, illumination might make it less attractive for those viewing the lighted displays. Putting additional lighting on a timer, so it only comes on after the displays shut down, would add expense.
A bigger challenge, he suggested, is the layout of Milt Dunnell Field. The only vehicular access is at the south end of the park, so even if police patrol frequently (as Wijnands insists they do when the displays are running, as well as at other times of the year), it’s easy for people to escape out the northern end before being seen.
One solution is modifying the landscaping of the area. He stresses he’s not necessarily suggesting the cutting of trees, but “are there certain areas where there might be some vegetation cut back so some of the neighbours might have better sightlines?”
The OPP officer also suggests signs providing a number to call police or Crime Stoppers if they see suspicious activity.
The Perth County OPP would like to hear from anyone with information about the Milt Dunnell Field mischief, either on Dec. 28 or on Dec. 13 or 14. The Perth County OPP can be contacted during business hours at 519-393-6123 or anytime at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), and you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.