Community garden vandalized again
West Kelowna’s Elaine Bunge received an unpleasant surprise last week when she went to harvest some peas and water her garden at Westbank Centre Park’s Community Garden.
For the second time in two weeks, her 20 by 10-foot garden had been vandalized in a targeted attack.
The other plots in the shared garden space near George Pringle Elementary School were undisturbed.
“I don't know why people would act like that,” said Bunge. “They're just so destructive.”
Her tomato plants, three feet high and heavy with ripening fruit, were wilting as they were snapped at the stem.
Plants loaded with peas were pulled out and her new hose that replaced one that had been cut in a previous incident was gone.
After previous damage to the garden, some of the plants recovered and Bunge replaced others. “This time it’s total loss,” she said. At over 80 years old, Bunge wondered if she has the energy and will to start the garden over again.
Bunge has been using local community gardens for years, initially at the Brown Road community garden and then moving to the Westbank Centre garden when it opened.
Bunge doesn’t mind sharing from her garden. Anything extra she grows is donated to the food bank.
Last season, vandals damaged her garden as well.
Bunge has reported the incident to the police and emailed Mayor Doug Findlater to let him know what is happening and ask permission to put a camera up in an attempt to prevent the destruction.
“Maybe if I publicize it a bit more people will be aware it is happening,” she said.