What Is & Isn't Vandalism In The River Valley

The Town of Okotoks has seen a rise in the number of recreational structures being made in the river valley.

Ramps and forts have been spotted in the valley and while some call it vandalism, others are calling it imaginative play.

Town Councillor Carrie Fischer says there needs to be a line between when it's damage to Town property or if it's kids simply playing.

"It's important to make that distinction between kids playing and people causing damage," she says. "I don't want to see and we don't want to see people actually cutting down trees to build forts, ramps or whatever they're building in there."

Fischer says if people are using existing dead fall or materials that aren't cut down by them, and they're just using them for leisure, they shouldn't be punished for vandalism.

"Kids have been playing in that river valley for as long as kids having been living in this area. The river valley has proven to be resilient to that and as long as kids are being respectful of nature and what they're dealing with down there and like I said not cutting down tree etc. I absolutely think we want to encourage that free play."

She says that if more kids are using the great outdoors as their playground and unplugging from life at times then the Town should further look into what is actual damage or the old adage, they're just kids playing.

"We don't want them sitting on screens, we don't want them vandalizing people's homes, vehicles or yards. We want them to be able to be able to be free to play like that."

Municipal Enforcement has reported that there have been sites located that do pose a risk from small fire pits or actual tree being cut to be used for the building of ramps in the valley which can be a fine if caught.

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