By Grant Warkentin
Three downtown businesses were shocked Tuesday morning to find they had been targeted in a spree of vandalism and theft sometime Monday night.
Kim Patrick, owner of Island Fever Travel at the corner of Alder Street and 10th Avenue, was dismayed when she arrived for work to discover vandals had heaved rocks through her storefront window.
“Someone had looked at my business of 34 years and decided it didn’t matter, and left me to pick up the pieces of a mess I did nothing to deserve,” she said in a social media post.
Happy’s Source for Sports across from Ostler Park was vandalized and also robbed around the same time as the travel agency. Owner Darryl Robbins posted pictures of the damage on social media.
“Someone had thrown two large rocks through our front glass doors before entering the store to steal what they could,” he said.
Robbins said there was a silver lining to the disaster.
“While the break-in itself was incredibly disappointing, what happened afterward deserves recognition,” he said. “The RCMP responded quickly. Shortly after our scheduled opening time, we received an email from a city planner expressing regret for what had happened and letting us know that, through the Downtown Renewal Grant, the city will cover 50% of eligible repair costs, up to $10,000.
“Then, to our surprise, Mayor Kermit Dahl personally stopped by our store to see the damage, check on our staff, and offer his support.”
Robbins said the vandalism and theft is difficult to deal with, but the city’ response helps ease the pain.
“Those actions won’t undo what happened, but they sent a clear message. Your local government values its downtown businesses and wants to be part of the solution,” he said.
Several other businesses were targeted this week — Envy Beauty Salon was vandalized and robbed the previous morning, sometime around 4 am. FYI Doctors also suffered damage.
“It’s very disappointing to continue to see our local businesses incur these stresses and unneeded expenses at a time that our local economy is struggling with so many challenges that we don’t control,” Dahl said. “I hope the RCMP find some good quality video of the individual or individuals responsible, and that they are held accountable.”
The Strathcona Standard has reached out to the Campbell River RCMP for more information and is awaiting a response.
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