HELENA — Hours after working on a brand-new pavilion at the Never Sweat Trailhead near Canyon Ferry, volunteers assembling it discovered that their work had been vandalized.
The Capital Trail Vehicle Association is an ATV and motorcycle club based in Helena that dedicates some of its time to building a better outdoor community by clearing trails and installing kiosks and public bathrooms in recreational areas.
On Saturday, they spent hours working on the picnic space at the trailhead.
They purchased the materials after receiving thousands of dollars in grants from the United States Forest Service and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
The next morning, the club's president, Gary Peterson, got a call from another club member who said there were bullet holes in the pavilion, nine millimeter cartridges on the ground, and the structure was dented in multiple places.
"It is disheartening that you can't do something that you think is good for the public and could be beneficial, and have somebody disrespect it," Peterson said. "It makes you wonder if your efforts are really doing any good."
The Forest Service manages the land where the pavilion is, and Peterson says they are investigating the vandalism.
He noted the damage discovered on Sunday is not the only destruction in the area.
There are also tire marks on the new cement of the pavilion and a small graffiti marking that says "come find me."
The club is exploring options to purchase the necessary materials for repairing the damage, and you can find more information about them here.
