Loitering upsets councillors

Tignish officials say arena parking lot becoming ‘hangout’

A Tignish councillor commended West Prince RCMP for their recent handling of a complaint about people hanging out in, and leaving garbage strewn about, the Tignish Credit Union Arena parking lot. During the monthly meeting of Town Council on Monday evening, Coun. Angel Murphy told Prince District Supervisor Staff Sgt. Derrick Hewitt there had been a marked reduction in the activity since the timely patrol of the lot.

Coun. Judy Morrissey Richard also said there was quick response to a complaint of people hanging out in the woods behind a ballfield. Murphy’s take on the parking lot situation, however, changed later in the meeting, long after Hewitt had departed council chambers. From their seats at the council table, councillors Murphy and Morrissey-Richard were distracted by a group of vehicles that had congregated in the arena’s lot behind the municipal building. They witnessed one individual finish off beer bottles and throw the empties towards a utility pole. The councillors expressed disappointment in the situation and one of them snapped a photo of the group of vehicles with her cellphone.

No further action was taken at that time as the meeting was still in session.

During his attendance, Hewitt was also informed that the provincial sign shop parking lot is becoming a hangout. He promised to have officers keep an eye on the locations. He also informed council to expect a ramp-up in checkpoints. Two of the 18 charges laid in the past month were a result of checkpoints, he reported. The force recorded 237 hours of policing activity in the town during May.