All Ken Neden and his team at Arrowsmith Search and Rescue want to do is help people who find themselves in trouble.
There are some however who are making that difficult task a little harder and more expensive. Neden said he was deeply disappointed this week to discover that someone made a mess of recent improvements to the site where the ASAR group meets and stores its gear.
“Somebody did donuts in the gravel we just recently put down,” Neden said. “They chewed it up pretty good.”
The $9,000 in improvements to the parking lot outside the ASAR hall, which they share with the Coombs-Hilliers fire department, involved laying gravel outside the hall where the command vehicle backs in, a move Neden said will prevent as much mud getting inside and making it easier to park the vehicle.
Now, he said, the area is a mess, with gravel sprayed all over the place. Neden isn’t sure how much it will cost to repair the damage, but whatever the tab, coming up with the money will likely pose a challenge.
“We finally got to the point where we had a little bit of money and were able to afford to do this, but it’s a one-time thing,” he said. “We’re not a rich club.”
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Oceanside RCMP at 250-248-6111.