A bench that was installed just over two years ago at the Meditation Garden at Mount Pleasant Cemetery was found vandalized on Wednesday morning. (Submitted photo/Peggy George)

By Angie Rolheiser

Senseless damage

Granite bench in Melfort Meditation Garden smashed

Nov 3, 2021 | 5:40 PM

A peaceful space created by Melfort Communities in Bloom (CiB) has been vandalized.

The granite bench donated by the Knights of Columbus in the Meditation Garden at Mount Pleasant Cemetery was found destroyed on Wednesday morning.

Peggy George with CiB told northeastNOW to see the bench in pieces is ‘mind-boggling’ and ‘gut-wrenching’ at the same time.

“That bench was donated to us through money that was raised by the Knights of Columbus so we feel very sad and angry for them and obviously for ourselves too,” George said. “We also feel sad and angry for anyone that did enjoy going there and shared time and space with Weeping Willow.”

The bench is located directly across from the Weeping Willow sculpture and was installed just over two years ago making this just the second fall at the cemetery.

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(Submitted photo/Peggy George)

After inspecting the area along with city crews on Wednesday afternoon, George is convinced the act was targeted at this specific project.

“There is no other evidence of damage in the cemetery. It is just this one bench, this one area,” George said. “This is a full-sized granite bench and did not have a flaw in it, it was not the weather, it was not struck by lightning, it was brute force that smashed it.”

The bench is valued at $5,000, the cost is combined with the hard work and dedication of volunteers to make the space a reality.

“We are just a volunteer group trying to create city pride and trying to make our world a little bit better for everybody and we have had so much fabulous support from the community and from the city,” George said. “When these things happen it is very deflating and it is very hurtful.”

Melfort RCMP have been made aware of the incident and any information is asked to be reported to the local detachment.

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angie.rolheiser@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser