The Kawartha Lakes community is rallying behind Gamiing Nature Centre following a recent major vandalism incident at the outdoor and wildlife education centre.
The non-profit centre, which receives no government funding and relies entirely on private and corporate donations, is located on privately owned land on the shores of Pigeon Lake south of Bobcaygeon.
The vandalism was discovered last Thursday (March 4) in the Discovery Shack, a heated portable at the centre used for educational purposes.
Windows were broken, furniture and educational displays smashed, and the furnace was damaged. The cost of the damage, which has rendered the Discovery Shack unusable, is estimated at $20,000.
“I am speechless,” says Mieke Schipper, volunteer executive director of the centre. “This is so disheartening.”
Schipper, who owns the 100-acre property and has a conservation easement agreement with Kawartha Land Trust to protect the land in perpetuity, founded the grassroots Gamiing organization in 1995. The name is Ojibwa for ‘near the shore’ and was chosen to honour the land’s first inhabitants and its lakeshore location.
Also damaged, possibly beyond repair, are some rare taxidermy displays of wildlife used for educational purposes. A taxidermist will be evaluating whether any of the fragile wildlife displays can be salvaged.
It is unknown when the vandalism occurred.
The City of Kawartha Lakes OPP is currently investigating the crime and is asking anyone having information to contact police at 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous information can be reported by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.khcrimestoppers.com.
While the centre has insurance, it is unknown how much of the damage will be covered, and Schipper says the centre will face financial difficulty repairing the damage.
Since Gamiing Nature Centre shared news of the vandalism on its Facebook page on Thursday night, members of the local community have stepped up to assist.
Some people have donated cash through the centre’s Facebook page at facebook.com/gamiing/, while others have offered to donate their time and effort to help with clean up.
Cailey Lynn, who regularly organizes group snowshoe yoga, hosted two sessions over the weekend and donated all proceeds from the sessions to the centre.
Despite the setback, the centre is hoping to be able to proceed with its nature school starting on Friday, March 19th. The 10-week program runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Friday at a cost of $60 per week.
For more information about Gamiing Nature Centre, or to become a member or make a donation, visit gamiing.org.
VIDEO: Vandalism at Gamiing Nature Centre
Posted by Gamiing Nature Centre on Saturday, March 6, 2021
