Defecation and battling bridal parties: P.E.I.'s Government House bans group photo shoots
CBC
Bad behaviour at Prince Edward Island's Government House, including visitors urinating and defecating on the historic building's grounds, has prompted the province's lieutenant governor to ban group photo shoots.
The site and its nine gardens, at the edge of Victoria Park along the Charlottetown waterfront, has always been a popular place for wedding and family photos as well as graduation and prom pictures.
But Antoinette Perry, the lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island, said the "extremely disturbing" situation has been getting out of hand.
"It really breaks my heart to see the disrespect," said Perry, who has served as the Island's lieutenant governor for more than five years.
"There was damage to the property — or there was certainly disrespect to the property, from smoking, to drinking alcoholic beverages, to bringing their animals with them, to taking the furniture on the veranda.
"As you can see, there's no furniture now — they just throw them around whichever way they want.
"They would drive on the lawn. Actually, they urinated and defecated on the grounds as well. It's just disrespect for the property.
"To see something like that, with that utter disrespect for the property, it's very disheartening, it really is."
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor has posted a notice on its website saying that while the grounds are open daily for tours, groups are not allowed. That includes photo shoots for weddings, graduations and family reunions as well as family picnics.
Gates are now closed to the property in the evening to prevent cars from entering the site, and Perry said they've increased security this week because it's peak season for high school graduations on the Island.
Perry said she's even been personally accosted.
"I've been yelled at. I've been yelled at for saying something to people, so I just don't say anything," she said during an interview with CBC News outside her official residence, which was built in 1834 and is also referred to as Fanningbank.
"People on my grounds have yelled at me, yes. I just turned around and walked away because I was scared I would say something that I would regret."
Perry said wedding parties have been particularly challenging.
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