The Village of Medstead is home to 130 residents according to the 2016 census. Life is quiet and peaceful, with value in routine. Waste removal services are scheduled for every Friday morning on a weekly basis, alternating between garbage and recycling. Local residents move their bins to the edge of their property on Thursday evenings in preparation for the next morning鈥檚 service. Unexpectedly, on the evening of March 16, routine took a detour.
At approximately 10 p.m. on the Thursday before St. Patrick鈥檚 Day an unidentified vehicle drove aggressively through the streets of the village, affecting primarily the east end streets. The vehicle in question drove loudly, disturbing residents in their homes. The driver targeted the black Loraas garbage disposal units at the end of driveways, doing significant property damage in the process.
Cst. Morgan Preston of the Glaslyn RCMP detachment says, 鈥淎lcohol is suspected, but not certain to have been involved.鈥�
A total of 10 trash bins were harmed and according to Preston, 鈥淥nly one was heavily damaged.鈥�
Long-term resident, Winona Kolbe, was the most affected by this vandalism, having had her garbage can destroyed entirely. When recounting the incident Kolbe stated, 鈥淚 heard a loud roaring in the middle of the night. At 6:30 in the morning I looked out my bedroom window and wondered what happened. I saw garbage all over the road.鈥�
Referring to the damaged receptacle Kolbe said, 鈥淚t had been pushed down by the snow bank and there was garbage strewn everywhere.鈥�
With the help of a kind neighbor the trash was cleaned up and placed into a nearby bin. A replacement garbage container was provided on the same day. The village office followed up with community members promptly in the morning to gather information. Numerous community members expressed concern for those affected. With a positive perspective on the village, Kolbe remarked, 鈥淚鈥檝e been here for 13 years, nice friendly people in Medstead.鈥�
In this spirit of community, the locals moved forward with the event scheduled for the evening of St. Patrick鈥檚 Day proceeding at the local Leisure Centre.聽
Garbage and recycling services are to proceed uninterrupted.
