ESSA LACKS FUNDS TO INSTALL LIGHTING, SECURITY CAMERAS

HYDRO CONNECTION COST COULD EXCEED $20,000

It's taken well over a decade and a significant amount of donations to create the one-of-a-kind park in Angus that pays tribute to all of the Canadians who served and died in United Nations peacekeeping missions over the past 75 years.

Veteran peacekeeper Bob George wants to make sure that all that hard work doesn't get undone.

Residents have been mostly respectful of the memorials installed throughout Peacekeepers Park at the north end of Mill Street, but in recent weeks and months, some unknown individuals have defaced one of the four walls that displays the portraits of the soldiers.

George, who is a member of the Central Ontario chapter of the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping, which looks after the park, was dismayed after discovering scratches on four of the portraits.

George suspects a child may have scratched the portraits with something like a stone, not realizing the significance of what they were damaging.

"I would just assume to have them come forward so we can educate them on the value and purpose of these portraits," he said.

Prior to this, someone also used a marker to write graffiti on the side of the wall, and attempts were also made to peel off the covering that protects the portraits.

There are four doublesided display walls along the walkway containing the portraits of the solders whose names are engraved on the memorial wall at the entrance to the park. Underneath each picture is biographical information on each service member, including where they served and how they died.

Each portrait cost $160 when the group did the fundraising campaign for the wall.

George said more than $160,000 has been invested at the park since the first phase of the development began in 2011 with the installation of the memorial wall. The cenotaph contains 283 names, including 118 Canadians who died while serving with the United Nations and other peacekeeping missions, plus the names of the 158

Canadian soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan, three Royal Canadian Mounted Police members killed in Haiti, and a small representation of Korea veterans killed in peacekeeping duties.

Over the following years, additional features were added, including decommissioned military vehicles, replica UN watch towers, 18 pedestals depicting the 59 peacekeeping missions Canadians have served in, an Indigenous circle of life, and a walking path and benches. Poles were also installed along the walkway with banners containing the images of the nine Canadian peacekeepers who were killed Aug. 9, 1974, when their aircraft was shot down by missiles while approaching Damascus, Syria.

George said lighting and security cameras would probably deter future acts of vandalism, but that's not possible due to the lack of hydro service.

Bringing power to the park is the township's responsibility since the park is owned by the municipality.

"I fully support our veterans," said Essa Mayor Sandie Macdonald, whose father was a peacekeeper and veteran of the Second World War and Korean

War. "When people sacrifice their lives, and then to see what was done to the portraits, it's very sad."

Macdonald said the township looked at the cost of bringing power to the park a couple years ago. It was estimated to cost $20,000 just for the underground hydro connection, not including the costs of lighting standards. But she said the cost has likely risen since then.

While she said it's something the township would like to do, there are higher priorities that have to be tackled first, noting vandalism isn't limited to just one park.

"Hopefully in time we will have a bit of extra money," she said, while also noting fundraising may be an option.

"I'm sure the community would get behind something like this," she added.

George said the group will consider that as part of its ongoing fundraising initiatives for the park.

'When people sacrifice their lives, and then to see what was done to the portraits, it's very sad' - Essa Mayor Sandie Macdonald

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Simcoe.com wanted to find out what it would take to deter vandals from causing further damage to the memorial walls at Peacekeepers Park in Angus.