On Friday morning, all that was left was a bare billboard, a couple small fragments of the vinyl sign and a beer can after vandals again destroyed a pro-national park sign — this time in the Osoyoos industrial park. A previous billboard near Cawston was cut down with chain saws and the vinyl was slashed, but park supporters had it repaired and put it up in Osoyoos instead. It lasted just nine days. (Contributed photo)
National park supporters thought a new location for their vandalized billboard at the Osoyoos industrial park would be safer, but it only lasted nine days.
The sign proclaiming, “Yes National Park,” and giving the www.yesnationalpark.com website of the South Okanagan-Similkameen National Park Network (SOSNPN), this time was removed completely.
The billboard structure was left standing, along with two small fragments of the red vinyl and a beer can. It was discovered Friday morning, leading the SOSNPN to believe it was vandalized during the night between Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14.
Last month vandals apparently used chainsaws to cut down a billboard at Hwy 3 and Nighthawk Road near Cawston, leaving the sign’s skin in three pieces.
Total damage between the two incidents is now estimated at more than $8,000, the SOSNPN said in a news release.
“If this represents the tactics of people who oppose the park, they aren’t sending a good message,” said Doreen Olson, co-ordinator of SOSNPN.
“Breaking the law and destroying private property is not an effective way for people to express their opinion about their opposition to a national park,” she added.
The vandalism has been reported to the RCMP in Osoyoos, who will share the information with Keremeos RCMP to see if the two incidents are connected.
RCMP are seeking tips on who is behind these incidents. People can provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or they can contact Keremeos RCMP directly at 250-499-5511.
“We intend to replace the sign ASAP and are asking people to help,” said Olson. “This is a clear message to us that we are being bullied and muzzled and we won’t allow that to happen.”
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society B.C. Chapter (CPAWS-BC), a registered charity has offered to help by accepting funds to replace the billboard and will issue tax receipts to people who would like to help the locally based SOSNPN.
People can donate online at: www.cpawsbc/donate and indicate SOS Billboard in the notes section.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
After a pro-national-park billboard near Cawston was vandalized, the South Okanagan Similkameen National Park Network had the skin repaired and they relocated it to what they thought would be a safer location next to the Osoyoos industrial park, but it was vandalized there too. The SOSNPN plans to make the national park an election issue.
(Richard McGuire photo)
