On Nov. 23 around 7:20 a.m. -  after a night of heavy snowfall - notifications rang on Renee Charbonneau’s phone showing damage at the Veterans Memorial Gardens & Interpretive Centre in Grande Prairie. 

Charbonneau’s husband headed to the centre to find the gate knocked over and the fence severely damaged; tire tracks led straight into it. 

“I wanted to cry; I wanted to throw the towel in, it's like, would somebody just give us a break,” said Charbonneau, the centre's project lead.

“It feels like we're constantly under siege, and it's silly to feel that way, but that's what it feels like at times.” 

Charbonneau estimates the damage to the fence will cost between $1,400 and $2,000, depending if the concrete also needs replacement. 

She describes the damages as “just enough to really mess our world up and take up all of our unrestricted funds and (but) not enough to go through insurance.”

She said three metres of stretched fence will need replacement; the gate will need to be re-stringed and other bits of hardware will also need to be replaced. 

The truck may have also hit a post near the children's park next to the centre.

Not the first time

This is but the most recent act of vandalism and destruction. In August the fence was cut open, and a generator and a cart were stolen; earlier this summer, flowers were stolen while the centre was closed. Youth were caught on camera vandalizing monuments with markers while fabric to keep the dust down in the garden was spray-painted on another occasion. 

An attempted break-in at the centre cost the organization about $700 to repair its door. 

“It's just been one little thing after another,” said Charbonneau.

The centre, which only opened in 2020 and broke ground in 2017 with its Afghanistan War Memorial installation, is still working to establish itself. 

“This place is supposed to be a place where children and visitors can come learn about the service and sacrifice of our fallen soldiers and our Silver Cross families, a place to learn about veterans of note and different historical points and in time, and it's a place for community,” said Charbonneau.

“If someone disrespected my mom and dad's memory this way, I'd be livid,” she said, noting her parent's military past. 

“I'd be absolutely beside myself, these aren't even my family, and I'm emotionally distraught,  and it's not just the work, it's the stories, it's what this place stands for, and to see it constantly being disrespected just bothers the living daylights out of me.”

After posting online about the most recent incident, the community responded. 

Community member Aaron Bergeron helped Charbonneau’s husband put the fence back up, and they also cleaned the centre's sign, which had been recently vandalized. A few donations have also come in to help repair the fence. 

“It's the kindness of a few people that really keep you going,” said Charbonneau.

“Every $5 helps; it doesn't have to be a big donation; it could even be just some of your time to come to help fix some stuff. We're grateful for any kind of help.”

People who want to donate to the centre can do so by e-transferring exec.director@motorcycletourism.ca.