Park rowdiness has ‘bloody-well got to stop’
One city councillor is calling on his fellow members to get together and come up with a plan to end late night parties happening at Teegatha’oh Zheh Park at the end of Main Street.
Photo by Vince Fedoroff
PROBLEMS NO PICNIC IN THE PARK – Noisy drinking parties and other disruptions to the peace going on at Teegatha’oh Zheh Park, at the end of Main Street, have spilled onto city council’s agenda. Kirk Cameron top Don Rogers
One city councillor is calling on his fellow members to get together and come up with a plan to end late night parties happening at Teegatha’oh Zheh Park at the end of Main Street.
A passionate Coun. Kirk Cameron, who said he’s heard many concerns from downtown residents on the matter, broached the idea at Monday evening’s city council meeting.
He pointed to the recent vandalism at the nearby United Church. The building suffered significant water damage after a garden hose was pushed through an open window of the church and turned on.
Before suggesting the incident was related to the frequent parties at what’s become known as “420 park,” Cameron noted the parties are just blocks away from the Whitehorse RCMP detachment.
“Frankly, it’s making a mockery of law and order,” he said.
Given the latest act of vandalism, Cameron added, “It’s bloody-well got to stop.”
He said he can appreciate the police are extremely busy responding to other matters as well. However, he noted that if they’re able to break up bush parties, the same should happen for parties at the end of Main Street.
He then suggested council members get together to see if they can come up with a resolution to the problems.
Brenda Prokopchuk, the United Church’s administrator, said this morning the water damage to flooring, walls and ceilings has been estimated to be more than $10,000.
“There was some time before it was detected,” she said.
It was in the “wee hours” of July 31 that the hose was placed through the open window in the second-floor choir room.
Prokopchuk acknowledged it was “negligence” on the part of the church to have left the window open.
It had been open Sunday, and with many people in the building for a luncheon, most thought someone else would close the window.
By the time the security system made the detection, water was leaking through the floor to the lower level and the damage had been done to the floor, ceiling and walls.
Church officials are reviewing what happened and assessing what can be done differently, Prokopchuk said.
The church has been the victim of tagging in the past, but it has not seen this degree of vandalism in years.
In 1992, the previous church on the site was burned to the ground by vandals, she recalled.
Whitehorse RCMP Sgt. Don Rogers said this morning police have responded to 17 calls related to happenings at the park.
Infractions have included one unauthorized campfire, seven instances of disturbing the peace, seven incidents of liquor consumption, one mischief complaint and one impaired driving complaint. The calls were spread throughout the year, with officers responding to each report.
Recognizing Cameron’s concerns, Rogers said the RCMP would be happy to meet with council and discuss the issue.
However, the reality of the situation is the detachment is doing what it can with the resources it has to respond to all the calls that come in, along with patrolling the community, Rogers told the Star.
He also pointed out similar problems exist at the end of any street next to the clay cliffs.
It’s a social problem that could require the work of other agencies such as addictions services and First Nations wellness personnel.
Geoffrey Capp
Aug 8, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Brenda Prokopchuk is not entirely correct about the church’s history. It didn’t burn “to the ground” in 1992, but was extensively damaged by fire, and not due to vandalism but due to an unfortunate act involving child play with matches. In 1993, the structure was razed to the foundation levels and rebuilt.