When she first laid eyes on the smashed windows, gouged siding and ruined woodwork at Calgary’s Safety City, Joyce Gardam said she felt sick.
“Absolute sickness, devastation, tears,” Gardam, the program’s director, said Thursday.
“There’s been a lot of work that has gone into these buildings.”
Gardam believes the damage was caused by vandals sometime between Sunday and Tuesday. Calgary police confirm they are aware of the incident.
The row of miniature-sized buildings sits near Glenmore Athletic Park and provides a space for thousands of school children to learn about pedestrian safety each year. On Friday, Gardam will welcome the last class of the season, despite the damage to some of the buildings.
“I am passionate about providing safety for kids because anything we can do to help them in their everyday lives is a betterment for them.”
It’s not the first time Safety City has been the target of vandalism, Gardam said. The worst case may have been when the replica church was burned years ago.
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“I think it’s just people that have no respect or regard for little kids,” she said.
READ MORE: Symbols celebrating Pride vandalized at University of Calgary
Kindergarten teacher Amber Ernst recently took her class to the facility to learn about street signs and crossing the road properly. She said news of the damage is “really sad.”
“I was going to suggest that maybe as a school we could try to do something because our kindergartens really enjoy it,” Ernst said.
“I’d like to go back.”
The support would likely be well received by Gardam. She said the most recent damage could cost up to $10,000 to repair. The group also plans to install security cameras on the facility.
“Please leave us alone and help us, don’t hurt us,” Gardam said.
“When you’re hurting us, you’re not only hurting the kids or the parents or the teachers or the schools, you’re hurting us financially.”
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