Glass on Vancouver steam clock smashed amid heightened concern about violence, vandalism
The iconic steam clock in Vancouver's Gastown neighbourhood was behind caution tape this weekend after the glass on one side of it was smashed.
Twitter user @Vantics shared a photo of the damage Saturday evening, saying the photo was taken around 5 p.m.
It was not immediately clear whether the damage was an intentional act of vandalism or if it occurred in some other way.
In an email to CTV News, the City of Vancouver said staff "are securing the area around the steam clock to ensure it is safe and assessing the damage to determine next steps."
The city did not answer questions about the cause of the damage, saying only that more information would be available "in the coming days."
The Vancouver Police Department issued a statement Sunday afternoon saying it has launched an investigation "to determine if someone intentionally damaged the clock."
"VPD’s Forensic Identification Unit was dispatched Sunday to collect evidence, and patrol investigators are canvassing for witnesses and security video," police said.
The damage to the well-known tourist attraction comes against a backdrop of heightened attention on crime in the city, particularly in and around the downtown core.
Last week, Vancouver's city council held a special meeting on public safety, at which it heard from numerous speakers concerned about violence and vandalism, including some who said the city's reputation had begun to suffer.
“That global reputation and even our domestic reputation is under increasing threat,” said Royce Chwin, president of Destination Vancouver, at the meeting.
“For example, on a recent sales mission to bring business to Vancouver, I and my team are increasingly getting these questions - is it safe there?”
Bridgitte Anderson, the president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, had similar concerns, and added that member businesses have been voicing frustration with public safety "for months."
The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association has said crime is holding back the city's progress on its economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
So many people signed up to speak at the special council meeting that it was continued to May 10.
The most recent data released by the Vancouver Police Department shows a 6.8 per cent increase in property crime in the first quarter of 2022 when compared to 2021. If compared to the average in a "pre-pandemic period" from 2017 to 2019, the rate has decreased by 22.3 per cent.
District 1, which includes Gastown, saw the biggest increase in property crime when comparing this year and last, with a jump of 16.4 per cent.
City-wide, there have been 1,255 reports of mischief in 2022, a 4.1 per cent increase from the same time last year. Compared to the three-year, pre-pandemic average, reports of these crimes are up 9.4 per cent.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Lisa Steacy
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.