Tay River Park and the Women's Memorial

Monument to women murdered by violence

This is the first time I've seen the monument. It is a powerful, strong message for the community, as well as a message to the public. I sent the kids, and they took some photos for me. Violence against women has been of particular concern to me, my first year teaching my JK student disclosed that 'Daddy hit mommy in the stomach last night.' This was in a small community south of Ottawa in 1989.
I went on to write an article,  The White Ribbon Campaign, after the 14 young women who were murdered at l’Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal on Dec. 6, 1989 and a group of men got together to speak up against domestic violence. Sadly, the Perth monument was cluttered when I tried to take photos. (You can read about that below.)

The monument is a project of the Survivor Engagement Group, a group of women survivors of abuse who reside in Lanark County. The monument was unveiled last December, 2015,  as part of the National Day of Remembrance and Action to End Violence Against Women. The group remembered the 14 young women who were murdered at l’Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal on Dec. 6, 1989 and the three women who were recently murdered in the Wilno area.

• Lanark County police, residents tackle spike in domestic violence ...
• Two dead in Almonte murder-suicide, one seriously injured

This is the message on the carved piece.

Lanark Highlands talks it out about domestic violence problem in township

The number of cases in the Highlands has spiked.  Lanark County Victims of Violence by year:

2010	22
2011	26
2012	16
2013	24
2014	43

In 2014, the Lanark County Interval House: 

·      Supported 550 women via their shelter and outreach services. 

·      Helped 118 children via shelter and outreach services. 

·      Handled 1,575 crisis calls. 

·      Offered 1,200 plus hours of direct counselling support. 

 The Drone at Stewart Park Festival

From our seat at our lunch table on Saturday, taking a break from visiting vendors at the Perth Market, after visiting the Stewart Park Music Festival 2016, I spotted someone unpacking a drone. Little did I know that he was at the site of the monument dedicated to Lanark Country women who have been murdered by violence. I'd never visited it, although I have seen the photos.

A lot of people worked long and hard on this memorial. We have a terrible number of victims of violence in our county.

I went over and spoke to him. Apparently, Perth Chamber hired this man to take drone videos of the Stewart Park Music Festival. Now, I'm not sure the efficacy of such a project, the festival's locale has large trees, and he was several streets away, beside the canal. I thought you were supposed to be within sight of the target of your video footage. He was behind Coutts Coffee, while the festival was across the road.

 Sadly, he had unpacked his baggage on top of the monument dedicated to woman who have died arising from domestic violence. I suggested that the monument wasn't the right place for his bags. He said, "I suppose not," and carried on with his work, ignoring me. I didn't want a confrontation, and felt rebuffed.  He used the podium, with its carved dedication, to rev up his drone operating system.  I moved the smaller bag, in order to take photos. It was terribly disrespectful of him. I am so very angry.

People like this give drones a bad name. They used one while fighting the recent fire in and near Perth: Fire in Lanark County Highway #43, they can be invaluable. There are many who abuse them, however. I don't think the legislation is strong enough. At the HUGE Fort McMurray fire, they had to stop fighting the fire from the air, since there were citizens trying to capture fire footage for fun or profit.

Fort McMurray firefighters call for drones to be grounded - Edmonton ...

Also, in 2015, during a southern B.C. wildfire, drones flying in the area grounded eight helicopters and five skimmers.

Have you had experiences with drones or UAVs?

• Flying your drone safely and legally Canada

Aviation regulations, air safety, UAV and drone regulations

• Flying an unmanned aircraft? You may need permission from Transport Canada
• Do’s and Don’ts for flying your drone safely and legally

• Monument dedicated to Lanark County Women who have been taken by violence