Chris Lowrey
PORTAGE DU FORT
August 2, 2017
Two trees planted in the newly minted memorial garden in Portage du Fort were stolen in the early morning hours of Aug. 2.
The memorial park, which is located right at the entrance of the town, was orchestrated as a Canada 150 project earlier this year and gives families the opportunity to plant a tree in memory of a loved one.
Twenty-eight families purchased trees for the garden.
One of the stolen trees was a 14 foot Red Maple tree planted by the Elliott family in memory of Dalton and Romanus Elliott. The other stolen tree was an apple tree planted by the Murdock family in memory of Pat and Laurina Murdock.
According to Portage du Fort Mayor Lynne Cameron, once the trees were stolen the vandals even filled in the holes to disguise the theft.
At least one member of the Elliott family visits the tree every night, so when it wasn’t there on Aug. 2, they knew it went missing the night before.
Cameron said there is now surveillance cameras set up at the park, which she described as a “sad” development.
“It’s like from a graveyard,” Cameron said. “Such a lack of respect.”
But she also said the response from the community has buoyed her spirits.
“A gentleman offered to replace them, and it was a wonderful gesture, but at the same time the families felt it wouldn’t be a tree that had come from them,” Cameron said.
She also said that several residents from all over the Pontiac have reached out to her about people they’ve seen planting new trees.
“So people are watching,” she said. “But it’s so sad.”