Veterans in Summerside dismayed to see waste, vandalism around cenotaph
CBC
As Remembrance Day approaches, a group of veterans says an area around Summerside's cenotaph isn't being respected and some residents no longer feel safe visiting it.
They are raising concerns about the state of Memorial Park, which includes the 100-plus-year-old cenotaph paying tribute to wartime service and sits in the heart of the city's downtown.
The veterans say unhoused people had been tenting there and have since moved along, but they've left behind garbage and used needles.
"What's going on with the cenotaph is just very discouraging to veterans. It's just a terrible scene over there," said George Dalton with the Lest We Forget Committee and Veterans Helping Veterans.
"This is sacred ground that we're on here, the Prince County monument. The City of Summerside is the host of that and they should be going to all means to avoid vandalism."
Dalton said his family funded a plaque for one of the benches in the park, but that's been removed, along with others.
He's been told people are too scared to walk around the cenotaph alone these days.
The P.E.I. Veterans for Veterans group meets regularly to check in with each other and talk about issues, including the state of Memorial Square.
Drew Rickard, the group's president, said he'll be speaking with Summerside Mayor Dan Kutcher and other veterans' groups looking for help getting the park cleaned up.
"It's just not right, especially this time of year, with Remembrance Day coming up," Rickard said.
"It's kind of disheartening to think that that's supposed to be a symbol that everyone should be able to go and enjoy, and the fact that it is in that state right now, it's kind of sad."
City officials said staff and police officers supervise the Memorial Park area — and all parks and green spaces around Summerside — as best they can, and do try to move people in encampments along.
Deputy chief administrative officer J.P. Desrosiers said he's optimistic the opening of a provincially run overnight emergency shelter on Thursday will help alleviate some of the problems.
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