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Vandals heave stones into Saanich clubhouse windows

Windows smashed as vandalism continues at Gordon Head's Saanich Fusion FC clubhouse on Tyndall Avenue
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Saanich Fusion volunteer Rick Firestone holds the rock that was launched through this clubhouse window and found on the floor of the clubhouse hall on Tuesday morning

The ongoing plague of petty vandalism at Saanich Fusion FC clubhouse has now reached 18 months, and counting.

On Tuesday morning longtime Fusion volunteer Rick Firestone was walking his dog past the clubhouse when he discovered two windows had been heavily damaged.

“I saw this (large) stone sitting (at the base) of this door and noticed the window (smashed up),” Firestone said. “It’s ridiculous, when is this going to stop? If it’s youth(s), then I’m just wondering when are they going to grow up (and stop doing this)?”

It was clear the window of the door had been repeatedly bashed by the stone, as many as eight times by Firestone’s estimate. The stone, which was removed by Saanich municipal staff, weighed somewhere between 30 and 40 pounds and had blue ingrained on it from the door’s paint.

Because it was safety glass it did not buckle or allow entry.

The second window, along the wall of the clubhouse, however, bore a hole about 35 centimetres in diameter where a rock had been launched through it.

Firestone found the rock about 15 feet (4.5 metres) inside the clubhouse. Shards of glass were strewn in every direction.

“It’s frustrating that this is still ongoing,” said Fusion president Barrie Keefe, who’s been responding to vandalism at the clubhouse since Christmas of 2013.

On Monday night at about 11 p.m. six Saanich Police officers swarmed a nearby residence on San Juan Avenue in response to a live break and enter call that turned out to be a false alarm.

Sgt. Steve Eassie said police located a person who was not suspicious.

However, the club is asking residents and neighbours are asked to keep their eyes and ears open to anything abnormal around the clubhouse.

Earlier this year, in March, a reward of $1,000 was posted by Sidney-based Scoremaster Goals to anyone who can offer information that leads to an arrest regarding Tyndall Park vandalism.

Since December of 2013, the artificial turf has been sliced, goal nets have been slashed, park signs have been defaced with foul language, garbage has been strewn around and, on one account, a clubhouse equipment room was entered and about 50 soccer balls were found spread across the grounds.

In February, a young tree was damaged, an incident thats happened multiple times. On May 31 Saanich Police was notified of graffiti on the clubhouse garbage and recycling cans.

In January, someone lit a pile of lost and found clothing under the deck of the Fusion’s Cordova Bay clubhouse.

Whether the series of “generic vandalism” incidents are related is unknown, said Keefe.

“We’re hoping neighbours can be vigilant and report anything suspicious they see.”

reporter@saanichnews.com

http://www.saanichnews.com/news/294875311.html