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Vol. 18, No. 7, Wednesday, January 11, 2023 www.LamontLeader.com
Thoughtless act upsets community Snowmobiler dishonours Chipman Bus/Train Monument BY JANA SEMENIUK A thoughtless act by a snowmobiler has upset community members of Chipman as well as members of the Chipman and Lamont Bus/Train Memorial Committee. Early last week sled tracks were discovered ripped across the pad where a stone monument was erected last year for the 17 victims of the school bustrain collision from 1960. Chair of the CLBTMC, Tom Hrehorets, said he was very concerned
when he learned of the marks. “I was worried. You spend all this time and effort doing it and someone flies around on a sled and (if they) damaged it, that would be awful,” he said. “The thing about it is awareness. Stay away from this thing. All I want is for people to be aware that this was a costly project and is supposed to be here for years to come. There are wide open fields, you don’t have to skidoo (there). If it would have been damaged,
I would have been very upset.” Mayor of Chipman, Morris Langevin was also upset by the act. “I can tell you I wasn’t pleased. Total disrespect,” he said. Langevin said that it doesn’t appear the monument was damaged, and the village doesn’t normally have a problem with riders. “We don’t have a problem with riding in the village, but we expect you to take the shortest route in and out at an idol,” he said. “We have lots of sled-
ders that don’t live in town and our store and hotel benefit from them.” On Nov. 29, 1960, 17 high school students from Chipman lost their lives when their school bus crossed the tracks in front of an oncoming train while on their way to Lamont High School. The monument, honoring the victims, was erected in July of last year at a cost of $35 000, after a nearly identical one was also installed in Lamont Nov. 2021.
Snowmobile tracks were discovered across the pad of the Chipman Bus/Train Monument near the National Hall last week, which has upset community members and members of the Chipman and Lamont Bus/Train Memorial Committee. Photo: Jana Semeniuk