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Red dress sculpture honouring MMIWG damaged by vandals on Vancouver Island

Sculpture made of welded bottle caps 91Ƶtromped, flattened91Ƶ on Island man91Ƶs lawn
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Parksville resident Ed Verreth was disappointed to find his MMIWG monument vandalized the morning of March 30. Verreth91Ƶs sign reads, 91ƵWhat do you think about this vandalism?91Ƶ(Submitted photo)

Ed Verreth was disappointed to find his memorial to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) had been damaged overnight on March 29 or March 30.

Verreth put the metal sculpture of a red dress on his lawn on McKinnon Street in Parksville about a year and a half ago.

91ƵThis morning I went out for my walk and somebody had tromped on it and flattened it 91Ƶ partially flattened it and bent it to the ground. It was really disheartening,91Ƶ he said.

The sculpture is made of hundreds of bottle caps welded by Verreth, who has also made pieces representing sunflowers and red hearts, to support healthcare workers.

He said he has received quite a few positive comments from people walking through the neighbourhood. The street has had a few other incidents of vandalism, Verreth said, including when someone threw the contents of a community pantry into the road one night.

Overall he has not experienced many issues with vandals in his 20 years on the street.

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Verreth was inspired to create the piece by one of his neighbours.

91ƵThere was a lady up the road who had one of those red dresses up for years,91Ƶ he said. 91ƵI used to see it on my walk and I thought, 91Ƶyou know, I can do something like that91Ƶ.91Ƶ

He said plans to repair the sculpture and reported the incident to the Oceanside RCMP.

91ƵThis is just a piece of metal, there91Ƶs people91Ƶs lives that have been tromped down to the ground,91Ƶ Verreth said.

Sgt. Shane Worth said anyone who has video surveillance or any other information related to the incident can contact Oceanside RCMP and quote file # 2023-3015.


kevin.forsyth@pqbnews.com

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Kevin Forsyth

About the Author: Kevin Forsyth

As a lifelong learner, I enjoy experiencing new cultures and traveled around the world before making Vancouver Island my home.
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