Tofino resident Brenda Wood, 26, says she’s feeling shocked and a bit naïve after having her truck vandalized at Swim Beach on Kennedy Lake within the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
Wood and her boyfriend spent a couple hours at the beach in the late afternoon on June 21. When they returned to the parking lot at around 6:45 p.m., Wood noticed the little ‘Save Old Growth Forests’ cardboard sign she had displayed on the inside of her 2001 Ford Ranger canopy was beside the truck on the ground.
“There was a little bit of mud (on the door) and you could very clearly tell that it was thrown because it had that splatter. My boyfriend and I were shocked. We couldn’t believe someone could be that petty,” she said.
They got in the truck and drove for a few seconds before realizing that one of her wheels was pulling really hard to the right. Wood’s boyfriend got out inspected the wheel.
“He said they flattened my tire. That’s when I pretty much instantly started crying. I have really good nice tires and I know when I bought them the mechanic said I could take them on the logging roads. It looks like a stab. They really were determined to get (the tire) to pop,” she said, adding that friends helped her change the slashed tire and put on the spare.
Swim Beach was fairly busy on June 21, notes Wood.
“The parking lot was maybe half full of cars and every little bit of the beach had people on it,” she said.
Wood has been to Fairy Creek Blockades three times, and is currently hoping to land a job in conservation. She’s unsure if she will continue to display her ‘Save the Old Growth Forests’ sign on her truck.
“I don’t want something like this to muzzle what I believe in, but I am nervous. I just can’t afford to keep getting my car vandalized. I definitely will be more mindful about where I display it. I thought Tofino and Ucluelet area would be more safe,” she said.
Wood posted photos of the vandalism to social media and was overwhelmed by the amount of supportive comments she received from the community.
“It touches my heart. It completely overshadows the incident and restores my faith in humanity. For one person who is a little bit lost, there are hundreds with their heart in the right place,” she said.
The vandalism was reported to the Ucluelet RCMP and detachment commander Sgt. Kevin Smith told the Westerly that this is the first call about mischief in the Swim Beach area this summer.
“We are looking for possible witnesses. Please call our non-emergency line at
nora.omalley@westerlynews.ca
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