Vandals have damaged a sign for a popular recreation site in the Powell River region.
On Thursday, October 30, BC Conservation Officer Andrew Anaka found a provincial park sign, located at the corner of Haslam Street and Inland Lake Forest Service Road, had been damaged by gunfire.
“Closer observation of the sign revealed that it had been shot multiple times with a shotgun with No. 4 shot,” he said. He thinks the damage was probably done during the weekend of October 26.
Anaka said BC Parks had erected these signs just this spring at a cost in excess of $1,000 each in order to promote Inland Lake Provincial Park to visitors.
“At the least, the offence is damage to provincial park property or discharging a firearm in a closed area,” he said. “At the worst, it’s criminal mischief or dangerous use of a firearm.”
Anaka said he does not think this is the work of a hunter.
“The person responsible is a vandal,” he said. “We doubt this individual was alone or could help himself from bragging to friends.”
Anaka said that both CrimeStoppers and the BC Wildlife Federation offer substantial rewards for leads that help identify the person(s) responsible.
“It would be my pleasure to hand out some of that reward money to someone willing to come forward with information,” he said. “You can remain anonymous.”
Inland Lake Provincial Park is located only eight kilometres from Powell River and offers camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and picnicking opportunities for everyone year round and fishing for cutthroat trout between April 1 and October 31. It also provides complete access to mobility-challenged people along its maintained 13-kilometre trail.
Anyone with information regarding this incident or any environmental crime, is asked to please call 1.877.952.7277. CrimeStoppers can be contacted at 1.800.222.8477 or online.
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