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Family Upset Over Stolen Park Bench

Thursday, 1 August 2013 10:56

The family of the late Bette Jones is calling for whoever stole a bench dedicated to the advocate, to return it. Jim Jones, Bette's husband says they're saddened by the theft. "The whole family, all of Bette's family are very disappointed by this action, and very sad." Sometime over the period of July 17th and 23rd, culprits cut through the steel that bolted the metal bench to a cement pad on Pittock's South trail. Jim says the bench was placed at one of Bette's favourite spots, where she used to contemplate her next moves in getting barriers removed for the disabled. "Bette had MS and from the time she got it, even before she was challenged mobility-wise, she started advocating for people who couldn't, for access to different places. Whether it was a municipal politician, or a provincial politician, or a business, she would go in and talk to these people and see if something could be done to make things better." She also lobbied the Upper Thames to have paved entrances to the Roth Park trail, where the bench was located. And so Jones sees its theft as an ultimate gesture of disrespect. "I'm very disappointed somebody would do something like that. I wouldn't compare what Bette was doing to what the veterans did, but it's similar to the desecration of a cenotaph. I don't know why anybody would want to do it." Jim says if the bench doesn't turn up, the family, and perhaps the Upper Thames will look to have it replaced. Click here for more details on the case.

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