Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Sep 06/02) - An attempt to beautify Inuvik was pulled up by the roots last week when vandals destroyed a collection of flowers in planter boxes along main street.

Inuvik Community Greenhouse co-ordinator Carrie Young was on her way to water the plants outside the Semmler Building when she discovered the plants torn from the boxes and strewn about on the sidewalk and street.

"I just thought 'Oh man.' I automatically thought it was kids who'd done it," Young said. "It's happened a couple of times over the past few years, but not so dramatically."

The plants had a value of about $400 and there was also the work that had gone into upkeep on the planters.

"Part of me was really angry, but part of me was thankful that at least they'd waited this long," she added.

Young had been tending the been tending the flowers three times a week and she can't understand what would drive anyone to vandalize them.

"It's just heart-breaking that people can't appreciate efforts towards town beautification," Young said.

"When they pull the whole plant out of the planter and throw it on the street, it's destructive, it's horrible."

Throughout the summer, Young has gotten to know some of the employees in the Semmler Building and they've told her they have discovered plants torn out, but they've replanted them.

When she first started doing the flowers there was some vandalism, and the next year there was very little until the end of summer, when there were some plantings destroyed.

"Here it is three years later, and I'm not really convinced that anything's changed," she said. "There seems to be no conception that the flowers make the town look better, which increases tourism, which instills a sense of pride in the community -- they just don't get that."

Police obtained a planter box they feel may have some useable fingerprints. The investigation is continuing.