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Lakeshore’s mayor is condemning a “hateful” act and provincial police are asking for help after someone spray-painted “discriminatory” graffiti this week at a public park.
The municipality also urged people Wednesday to report any graffiti that they encounter in local parks, facilities, and other public spaces following the offensive vandalism at River Ridge Park.
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“There is no space for hate in Lakeshore, and I appreciate our staff’s quick response to remove those messages,” said Mayor Tracey Bailey. “We want to ensure that Lakeshore’s incredible parks and public spaces are welcoming to all, and we urge anyone with information on these types of incidents to contact the OPP.”
Essex County OPP said members of the Lakeshore detachment responded Tuesday to the report of “a mischief” at an unnamed location on I.C. Roy Drive. The Town of Lakeshore said Wednesday it happened at River Ridge Park, which is bordered by I.C. Roy and Oakwood Avenue.
Police said that sometime between 4 p.m. on Monday and 7 a.m. Tuesday, someone spray-painted “offensive graffiti” onto a structure.
Neither police nor the town elaborated on the nature of the graffiti, which has been removed.
“Not only are these messages hurtful, but the cleanup efforts also pull Lakeshore staff away from other projects,” said Frank Jeney, Lakeshore’s corporate leader of Community Health and Safety. “We will continue to take these opportunities to educate residents on the impact of these actions, as well as the importance of respecting each other and protecting our public spaces.”
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The town said anyone who finds graffiti in a public space can contact Lakeshore’s Public Service Unit at PublicService@Lakeshore.ca or 519-728-2700. Lakeshore staff will document the cases, clean the graffiti, and alert investigators.
But if you see someone vandalizing or graffitiing something, call the police.
Essex County OPP investigating the River Ridge Park case are also asking people who live in the Oakwood Avenue and I.C. Roy Drive area to check their video surveillance footage for any suspicious people and activity.
Anyone with information can call police at 1-888-310-1122. To provide anonymous tips, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or go to catchcrooks.com.
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