![["Allen and Debbie Martin read the names of miners who died, including Allen's brother Glenn. "]](https://saltwire.imgix.net/ng-a00-10052017-westrayallen-and-debbiemartin.jpg?cs=srgb&fit=crop&h=568&w=847&dpr=1&auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance)
NEW GLASGOW
A parked dedicated to the 26 men who lost their lives in the Westray Mine is getting a new fence in an effort to stop motorists from driving on its lawn.
Allen Martin, a member of the Westray Families Group, recently started a gofundme page and raised $7,143 for a 434-foot chain fence that he hopes will stop people from damaging the park.
“Recently, the grounds of the Westray memorial has been damaged by people driving over the lawn. Vandalism is also an ongoing problem at the park and over the years has put significant pressure on our maintenance costs. We work hard to keep our park beautiful and in good repair. The memory of our lost brothers and our loved ones deserves no less. In order to preserve this memorial space, a fence will need to be built around it. The memorial park covers a significant space, which means that the cost of the fence also comes at a significant price,” he wrote on his gofundme page.
The Westray Families Group said there are vehicles in the park during the week as parents wait to pick up their children from North Nova Education Centre in the afternoon.
A fence to stop traffic is already in place but people are driving around it and destroying the lawn. He said in one instance, a truck drove across the lawn from one end to another.
“Everything we do works for a little bit and they find a way around it,” he said.
In the past there have been issues with garbage and, at one point, a large amount of broken glass was found in the area.
The new fence will not keep people out of the park but should prevent motorists from driving on the lawn.
Ann Findlay, principal for the neighbouring North Nova Education Centre, said she has not received any recent concerns about the park from the community so she is unable to comment about motorists who park in the area. She said students have not parked there in a number of years and it is only used as a park by a small number of students.
In addition, she said, the high school has taken steps to foster a better relationship between the students and the park by educating them on the Westray Mine Explosion of May 1992 as well as stressing the importance of respecting the area.
NNEC students do monthly cleanups that include the park area, she added.
New Glasgow Regional Police Const. Ken MacDonald, a liaison with students of NNEC, said he believes the new fence will keep motorists out.
“Putting the first gate there prevented traffic from driving through and that decreased garbage and vandalism,” he said. “Another fence will be good measure that will prevent people from driving around the gate.”
He said there were reports of vandalism years ago, but things have improved, and he believes the students have great respect for the area
