Seven grave markers were knocked over last week in Surrey Centre Cemetery.
The graves stones were nearly all one metre or taller in height and were in the pioneer section of the cemetery, where most graves are more than 100 years old.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 absolutely horrible,B次元官网网址� said Michael Gibbs, president of the Surrey Historical Society. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 understand why someone would do something like this.B次元官网网址�
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Sue Bryant, a member of the Surrey Historical Society, said she first heard about the vandalism April 26 through the B次元官网网址淔riends of West CloverdaleB次元官网网址� Facebook page.
B次元官网网址淚 went up right away and took a bunch of photos,B次元官网网址� said Bryant. B次元官网网址淪everal of the older headstones on the City side of the pioneer section of the cemetery were damaged.B次元官网网址�
Deeply saddened to see the damage caused by vandals at the Surrey Centre cemetery in the pioneerB次元官网网址檚 section. Some of these headstones were over a century old.
B次元官网网址� Surrey Historical Society (@SocietySurrey)
The damaged grave markers include families such as: McCallum, Elliott, Acorn, Wood, and others.
Bryant gives cemetery tours and is very familiar with the stories of the families that are interred in the graveyard.
B次元官网网址淭his is very sad, given some of the damaged headstones date back to the late 1800s, early 1900s, and at least two are of children less than a year old.B次元官网网址�
Bryant said the pioneer grave sites occupy a part of the graveyard that is somewhat secluded.
B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 see the area from any houses. IB次元官网网址檝e been there late at night and IB次元官网网址檝e seen a lot of people hanging out there.B次元官网网址�
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Bryant said the only other vandalism at Surrey Centre Cemetery that she can remember happened about 25 years ago.
B次元官网网址淚n the mid-90s, a big group of (gravestones) were vandalized.B次元官网网址�
Gibbs wondered if, given the profile of the pioneers, the historical value of the pioneer section, and its century-old markers, it wasnB次元官网网址檛 time for some more security.
B次元官网网址淚 think we need some cameras in here,B次元官网网址� noted Gibbs. B次元官网网址淭his cemetery is part of our heritage.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淐emetery staff have started the process to repair the monuments which were vandalized last week,B次元官网网址� wrote Laurie Cavan in an email to the Cloverdale Reporter. B次元官网网址�The contractor expects to have the repairs completed by the end of this week (May 1).B次元官网网址�
Cavan, the general manager of the Parks, Recreation, and Culture department, said the repair work will restore the grave markers in such a way that theyB次元官网网址檒l retain their historic appearance.
B次元官网网址淭o prevent future vandalism, the repaired monuments will be fastened with a metal rod through the monument into its base,B次元官网网址� added Cavan. B次元官网网址淚t is rare for historic monuments in Surrey to be defaced or damaged by acts of vandalism.B次元官网网址�
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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