INUVIK - On Friday evening Pam McDonald and her family took a short drive down the Dempster Highway to enjoy a peaceful night at Cabin Creek Park, one of their favourite camping spots.

But those plans were dashed when they arrived to find it vandalized.

Pam McDonald crouches beside a fire pit and pieces of a torched picnic table at Cabin Creek on Tuesday evening. During a family visit on May 7 she was disgusted to find the area damaged by vandals. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

"It was disgusting," said McDonald. "There were beer cases thrown in the water, plates full of food and rubber gloves left behind. A picnic table had been dismantled and used as firewood."

She also said the washrooms, riddled with gunshot holes, had been damaged almost beyond use.

Since the Dempster Highway is currently closed, she figures the crime had to be committed by Inuvik residents. She wonders why anyone would make the effort to drive 15 minutes out of town to commit such a senseless act.

"I feel violated as a resident," she said. "How could someone do such a thing, to drive all the way out there and damage such a beautiful piece of nature."

But she said the incident points to an embarrassing trend. Other parks in town and along the highway, including Campbell Creek Park, have been vandalized over the years.

"Take a look at those washrooms," she said of Campbell Creek. "The toilet seats have been ripped off."

McDonald said she'd also like to see more effort being made to maintain and patrol the campgrounds.

"They're pretty embarrassing," she said.

Cpl. Kent Pike of the Inuvik RCMP said he couldn't find a report of the incident on the detachment's computer system. But he acknowledged that park vandalism isn't uncommon in Inuvik, and many of the incidents are fuelled by alcohol consumption.

He said the detachment will be fully staffed this summer, which means more police patrols throughout the community, including its parks.