Senseless vandalism

The missus and I enjoy a lovely walk along the promenade by the lake, down by the wharf in West Kelowna.

The air is fresh, the view is wonderful, the people are friendly and the vast majority of dog-owners pick up after their pets. There are garbage cans for waste and benches for relaxing, spaced out along the path.

As well, there are four “step-outs” or viewing platforms where you can take a break and enjoy the beauty that is all around us. The path is well-maintained and easy to walk.

One recent morning we heard and saw loons, ducks and geese, beautiful and well-mannered dogs of all sizes and types, boat-planes taking off and landing in the distance and even a biplane soaring off towards Penticton. It was a lovely walk.

There are (or were) three wooden cottage-style chairs on one of the step-outs. I think they were donated. Each chair was lovingly painted, each with a different motif.

Many times we’ve said hello to people enjoying a nosh and a view while sitting in the chairs. The one I liked the best was captioned “It’s never too late to dream a new dream.”

Well, that chair is totally trashed now. It was fine Monday afternoon, and garbage now (Tuesday).

It looks like someone wanted to take it home and, since it was well secured, couldn’t. So he or she broke it and tossed the pieces into the lake up and down the promenade.

I doubt the perps read the news, but I would like to ask: Why?

Why wreck something that was not yours, that didn’t do anything to you, that gave hundreds of people pleasure?

We’ll never know but it’s such a shame.

Gary Lynch