A park in the posh Shaughnessy neighbourhood has been vandalized for the second time in a month amid ongoing hostility between dog owners and disc golfers, two of the many groups that share the space on Vancouver’s West Side.
Messages reading "dogs only" and "move away" have been scrawled onto three disc golf baskets in Quilchena Park, and dozens of the chains used to catch frisbees have been clipped and completely removed from two baskets.
The damage is even more extensive than it was the first time the course was targeted in early July, amid simmering tensions between people using Quilchena's off-leash dog park and an overlapping disc golf course.
"This is very much more premeditated," said Steve Chrichton, a member of the Van City United disc golf league. "We felt like the last one was somebody lashing out in anger. I feel like this is [different]. The message is clear."
In July, some chains were cut and left hanging from three baskets. This time chains from two baskets were nowhere to be seen, meaning whoever is responsible would have had to lug them out of the park.
Taavi Plaan, another league member, told CTV News he spotted the damage Monday evening and was surprised because he hasn't heard of any recent conflicts in the park.
"We are trying to be friends with everybody. We get along well with people," Plaan said.
Last month, the park board repaired the chains and painted over the graffiti, which included profanities.
Repairing the damage last month was easy and inexpensive, according to Van City United. The Vancouver Park Board supplied materials to install new links into the chains.
But board director Howard Normann estimated fixing the baskets this time could cost well over $1,000, which is one reason officials have decided to get the Vancouver Police Department involved.
"We did show leniency originally because it was kind of a one-off, but when it gets to this… that gets expensive," Normann said.
If police are able to identify a culprit, that person could face charges of mischief.
To avoid further conflicts, officials will also be looking at improving signage in the park and moving the locations of the holes to provide more separation from dog walkers.
"Some things just don't go together. This could be one of them," Normann said.
In the meantime, the board urged anyone who has a complaint about people using the park to contact officials, rather than resort to petty property destruction.
"This equipment belongs to everybody," Normann said. "People pay taxes and this is what it funds. So to come out here and maliciously damage things makes no sense to me."
With files from CTV Vancouver's Penny Daflos
