Defacing of bilingual signs called ‘black eye’ for city
A “disappointing” act of vandalism that blacked out the French wording on bilingual stop signs in the historic Mission district comes with a silver lining, says community leader Suzanne de Courville Nicol.
“I almost want to thank whoever did it because it brings attention to the fact that there is no attention paid to Rouleauville and the French history of Calgary,” said de Courville Nicol, president of the Bureau de visibilité de Calgary (BVC).
Seven of the 18 signs reading STOP/ARRÊT in the Mission area have been vandalized.
The signs were unveiled last October to pay homage to the city’s francophone roots in Rouleauville, a part of Mission that once bordered Calgary and was home to French immigrants, French-canadians and Métis before it was annexed in 1907.
“We were fully expecting vandalism way back, as soon as they were up, because there was so much possible negativity out there, but nothing happened,” said de Courville Nicol.
“That’s a black eye on Calgary and we don’t deserve that.”
She said the vandalism reinforces the need for better education on Calgary’s history and how Franco-albertans have aided economic development, tourism and overall value to the province and city. More than 100,000 people in Calgary and area and about 300,000 in Alberta speak French, added de Courville Nicol, and those numbers continue to grow.
The original project was community-driven and funds were raised privately. Those involved in the initiative said the bilingual signs would prompt passersby to pause and reflect on why they were in both of Canada’s official languages.
“You’d have somebody walk by and be like, ‘Oh, what’s that,’ and hopefully go and find out the Mission history,” said de Courville Nicol.
The signs were being cleaned on Saturday and area Coun. Jeromy Farkas said funds will be raised to cover any costs involved.
“It’s really sad to see things like this because it takes away from the hard work and commitment of our community volunteers,” said Farkas.
“Whether you like it or not, many people came from all corners of the Earth to make Calgary the success that it is.”
He said the neighbourhood association and BVC have done exceptional work in the area to recognize its rich French heritage. The small enclave’s streets used to bear French names such as Doucet (22nd Avenue S.W.) and Notre Dame (17th Avenue S.W.) before being replaced under Calgary’s street-numbering system.
“When we remember where we come from and honour our history, it’s Calgary at its finest,” Farkas said.
Vandalism is a crime and offenders can face a $5,000 fine and serve up to two years in jail. These incidents have been reported to the city and a bylaw officer is now handling the case, said de Courville Nicol.