A wooden gazebo unveiled in the Sunken Gardens this September has already been the target of multiple vandalism incidents.
"We are very disappointed," said Andrée Fawcett, president of the volunteer-driven Prince Rupert Garden Club. "This is the second time, and this one caused the most damage to it, so it's beyond frustrating, especially for David (Andrée's husband), who built the thing."
The Prince Rupert Garden Club raised $25,000 over two years, and the Port Authority contributed the other half to construct the cedar structure. It provides a covered space for passersby, especially on a rainy day. Two weddings have already taken place at that spot.
The club reported that someone vandalized the gazebo in the late afternoon on Oct. 10. Significant portions of the railings were removed and broken.
"It's not just sad, it's so frustrating because we put it there for people to enjoy," said Andrée.
Someone booted off a section of the railing in the past as well, she said "and it gave way, and the whole thing came down. But that was easy to replace; David went down there and put it back in place."
However, since the wood itself has been splintered this time, they must repurchase the material.
She met with the RCMP, which she described as a very fruitful meeting. The officers suggested they will patrol the area more frequently to watch for suspicious activities and investigate the site to better understand possible precautionary measures.
Andrée said the Port Authority has contacted her to provide maintenance aid, and several community members are already reaching out to help as well.
