Veterans in Summerside dismayed to see waste, vandalism around cenotaph

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 serviceand 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."

Summerside veterans upset over needles and garbage found near park cenotaph

9 days ago

Duration 2:30

A veterans' group in Summerside is asking people to respect the grounds of the cenotaph, after needles and garbage were found near the monument in Memorial Park. The group also says people are scared to walk in the park at night, and that's not how they should feel in a space created to honour the sacrifice of Island veterans.

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 officerssupervise 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.

"I would say that we sympathize with them and that we are doing everything that we can at the municipal level to try and address the issue," he said.

"We believe, with the new shelter opening, that that issue in this particular park and all parks in our city will hopefully improve."

'We want it to be what it used to be'

One suggestion the veterans have is adding permanent cameras in the area, something Desrosiers said is a possibility. He said the city has a number of temporary cameras that it moves around to different areas of concern.

The city said it will monitor the situation at MemorialPark, and hopes to see improvements.

As for the veterans, they want this park and cenotaph to be respected so that those who served Canada in past conflicts are remembered and honoured with pride.

"We want it to be what it used to be," Rickard said. "It used to be a symbol of sacrifice and remembrance."